suggestion English · revision 6485

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1340|origins=la gero}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /səˈd͡ʒɛst.ʃən/ ''(UK)''; /sə(ɡ)ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English suggestioun, [[bor|xno|suggestioun|t=hint; temptation]] and directly [[m|la|suggestio|t=an addition, intimation]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from [[m|la|suggero|alt=suggerere|t=to bring up, supply, prompt]] (see [[suggest]]), from [[m|la|sub-|t=under, up from below]] and [[m|la|gero|alt=gerere|t=to bring, carry]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A prompting or incitement to evil, a temptation of the Devil: before 1340 in the OED, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Word Origins notes that the sense soon broadened to a proposal or thought put forward.^(Cresswell 2021) Prompting someone to a course of action is from 1382,^(OED 1989) and placing an idea before the mind as a possibility from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) A false or underhand statement is from about 1375.^(OED 1989) The bringing of one idea to mind by association with another is from about 1600,^(Etymonline) and in hypnotism, implanting a belief or impulse in someone's mind, from 1887.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Etymonline notes that the old idea of evil prompting survives in the euphemistic [[suggestive]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1340 – a temptation to evil.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1382 – a prompting to act.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – a proposal.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – association of ideas.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1887 – in hypnotism.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An idea or plan put forward for consideration; a [[proposal]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A slight trace or hint: ''a suggestion of a smile''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(psychology)'' The process of implanting an idea or belief in someone's mind, as under [[hypnosis]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[autosuggestion]]

+ * [[countersuggestion]]

+ * [[nonsuggestion]]

+ * [[self-suggestion]]

+ * [[posthypnotic suggestion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[suggest]]

+ * [[suggestive]]

+ * [[gesture]]

+ * [[digest]]

+ * [[congestion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}