From Middle English menen, from Old English mǣnan (“to mean, signify, consider”),

from Proto-Germanic *mainijaną (“to mean, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *mein- (“to
think”). Cognate with West Frisian miene (“to deem, think”), Dutch menen (“to believe, think,
mean”), German meinen (“to think, mean, believe”). Related
to mind and GermanMinne (“love”).

Verb[edit]
mean (third-person singular simple present means, present participle meaning, simple past
and past participle meant)
1.To intend.
1.(transitive) To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention. [from 8th c.]
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
I mean to go to Baddeck this summer.
I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind.
2.(intransitive) To have intentions of a given kind. [from 14th c.]
Don't be angry; she meant well.
3.(transitive, usually in passive) To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate;
to predestine. [from 16th c.]
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
Man was not meant to question such things.
2.To convey meaning.
1.(transitive) To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea). [from 8th
c.]  [quotations ▼]
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?
2.(transitive) Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify. [from 8th c.]  
[quotations ▼]
What does this hieroglyph mean?
3.(transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one
says). [from 18th c.]
Does she really mean what she said to him last night?
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
4.(transitive) To result in; to bring about. [from 19th c.]  [quotations ▼]
One faltering step means certain death.
5.(transitive) To be important (to). [from 19th c.]
My home life means a lot to me.
Synonyms[edit]
•(convey, signify, indicate): convey, indicate, signify
•(want or intend to convey): imply, mean to say
•(intend; plan on doing): intend
•(have conviction in what one says): be serious
•(have intentions of a some kind):
•(result in; bring about): bring about, cause, lead to, result in
Translations[edit]
[show ▼]to intend; plan on doing
[show ▼]to have intentions of some kind
[show ▼]to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate
[show ▼]to convey, indicate
[show ▼]to signify
[show ▼]to have conviction in what one says
[show ▼]to result in; bring about
[show ▼]to be important
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate
translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in
definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[show ▼]Translations to be checked

Etymology 2[edit]
From Middle English mene, imene, from Old English mǣne, ġemǣne (“common, public,
general, universal”), from Proto-Germanic *gamainiz (“common”), from Proto-Indo-
European *mei- (“to change, exchange, share”). Cognate with West Frisian mien (“general,
universal”), Dutch gemeen (“common, mean”), German gemein (“common, mean,
nasty”), Gothic ?ﾐﾌﾰ?ﾐﾌﾰ?ﾐﾌﾽ? (gamains, “common, unclean”), Latin commūnis (“shared,
common, general”) (Old Latin comoinem).

Adjective[edit]
mean (comparative meaner, superlative meanest)
1.(obsolete) Common; general.
2.Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
a man of mean parentage / a mean abode
3.Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
a mean appearance / mean dress
4.Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.  [quotations ▼]
a mean motive
5.Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.  
[quotations ▼]
6.Niggardly; penurious; miserly; stingy.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his
children.
7.Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating; small.
8.Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind.  [quotations ▼]
It was mean to steal the girl's piggy bank, but he just had to get uptown and he had no cash
of his own.
9.Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will towards
another; cruel; malicious.
Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
10.Powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
11.Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
12.(informal, often childish) Difficult, tricky.
This problem is mean!
Synonyms[edit]
•(causing or intending to cause intentional harm): cruel, malicious, nasty, spiteful
•(miserly; stingy): See also Wikisaurus:stingy
•(acting without consideration of others): selfish, unkind, vile, ignoble
•(powerful): damaging, fierce, harsh, strong
•(accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with): deft, skilful (UK), skillful (US), top-
notch
•(inferior): cheap, grotty (slang), inferior, low-quality, naff (UK slang), rough and
ready, shoddy, tacky (informal)
Derived terms[edit]
•meandom
•meanie
•meanness
•meany
Translations[edit]
[show ▼]causing or intending to cause intentional harm
[show ▼]miserly, stingy
[show ▼]acting without consideration of others
[show ▼]powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging
[show ▼]low in quality; inferior
[show ▼]accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate
translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in
definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[show ▼]Translations to be checked

Etymology 3[edit]
From Middle English meene, from Old French meien (French moyen), Late
Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate
with mid.

Adjective[edit]
mean (not comparable)
1.Having the mean (see noun below) as its value.
2.(obsolete) Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.  [quotations ▼]
Derived terms[edit]
[show ▼]terms derived from mean (adjective)

Related terms[edit]
•medium
•mediate
•mediation
•mediator
•median
•mediocre
•mediocrity