From Middle English menen (“to intend; remember; lament; comfort”), from Old English mǣnan (“to mean, complain”), Proto-West Germanic *mainijan, from Proto-Germanic *mainijaną (“to mean, think; complain”), from Proto-Indo-European *meyn- (“to think”), or perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *meyno-, extended form of Proto-Indo-European *mey-.
Germanic cognates include West Frisian miene (“to deem, think”) (Old Frisian mēna (“to signify”)), Dutch menen (“to believe, think, mean”) (Middle Dutch menen (“to think, intend”)), German meinen (“to think, mean, believe”), Old Saxon mēnian. Indo-European cognates include Old Irish mían (“wish, desire”) and Polish mienić (“to signify, believe”). Non-Indo-European cognates include Finnish mainita (“to mention”), Finnish meinata (“to mean, to plan, to intend”) Estonian mainima (“to mention”), Northern Sami máinnastit (“to tell”). Related to moan.
Meanings
(transitive) To intend. ▸ To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
I mean to go to Arévalo in Spain this summer; I’ve been meaning to tell you for weeks, but I’ve just found the time.
Doo not my captaines and my ſouldiers looke
As if they meant to conquer Affrica? c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
Do you mean to say you regret it after all?
I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind.
The authors meant a challenge to the status quo.
(intransitive) To intend. ▸ To have as intentions of a given kind.
Don't be angry; she meant well.
(passive, regional, transitive) To intend. ▸ To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.
Man was not meant to question such things.
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
(transitive) To intend. ▸ To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.
Your reasoning seems needlessly abstruse, complex, and verbose for me. I mean, could you dumb it down for my sake?
(transitive) To convey (a meaning). ▸ To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea).
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?
An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine. 2013 June 1, “A better waterworks”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, →ISSN, page 5:
(transitive) To convey (a meaning). ▸ Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.
Americans, for example, call newcomers to Antarctica “fingies”, which comes from FNGs – a borrowed military abbreviation that means “Fucking New Guy”. 2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian:
What does this hieroglyph mean?
A term should be included if it’s likely that someone would run across it and want to know what it means. 2010, Alexander Humez, Nicholas Humez, Rob Flynn, quoting Wiktionary, Short Cuts: A Guide to Oaths, Ring Tones, Ransom Notes, Famous Last Words, and Other Forms of Minimalist Communication, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 33:
(transitive) To convey (a meaning). ▸ Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude.
He’s a little different, if you know what I mean.
I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean.
(transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).
Does she really mean what she said to him last night?
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
(transitive) To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).
This breakthrough will mean that we spend less on electricity bills.
One faltering step means certain death.
It was a goal that meant West Ham won on their first appearance at Wembley in 31 years, in doing so becoming the first team since Leicester in 1996 to bounce straight back to the Premier League through the play-offs. 2012 May 19, Paul Fletcher, “Blackpool 1-2 West Ham”, in BBC Sport:
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains.[…]But out of sight is out of mind. And that, together with the inherent yuckiness of the subject, means that many old sewers have been neglected and are in dire need of repair. 2014 June 14, “It’s a gas”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8891, →ISSN:
(usually, with to) To be of some level of importance.
Formality and titles mean nothing in their circle.
That little dog meant everything to me.
(Ireland, UK, regional) To lament.
All the tyme of his sickness he never said, “Alace!” or meaned any pain, whilk was marvellous. Never man died in greater peace of mind or body. 1619, Archibald Simson, A true record of the life and death of Mister Patrick Simsone (manuscript); printed in William King Tweedie, editor, Select Biographies, volume 1, Edinburgh, 1845, page 111:
“ If you should die for me, sir knight,
“ There’s few for you will mane,
“ For many a better has died for me,
“ Whose graves are growing green. 1810, Walter Scott (gatherer), “Proud Lady Margaret”, in Ministrelsy of the Scottish border, fourth edition, volume 2, Edinburgh, page 247:
nl menen (to have intentions of some kind) · sv innebära (to convey, indicate) · fi tarkoittaa (to have conviction in what one says) · gl significar (of a word: to signify) · lt reikšti (of a word: to signify) · ru собира́ться (to have intentions of some kind) · fi tarkoittaa (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · el εννοώ (to convey, indicate) · gl querer dicir (to convey, indicate) · fr signifier (to convey, indicate) · fi tarkoittaa (of a word: to signify) · ro meni (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · tl sadyain (to intend; plan on doing) · he יֵעֵד (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · ro indica (to convey, indicate) · izh tähentää (of a word: to signify) · hu komolyan gondol (to have conviction in what one says) · fa معنی کردن (to convey, indicate) · es intencionar/querer decir (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · te ఫలితము (of a word: to signify) · ca pretendre (to intend; plan on doing) · de meinen (to have conviction in what one says) · it intendere (to intend; plan on doing) · fi aikoa (to intend; plan on doing) · nl willen zeggen (to convey, indicate) · pt querer dizer (to convey, indicate) · he הִתְכַּוֵּן (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · ro însemna (to result in; bring about) · fi meinata (to have conviction in what one says) · is meina (to have intentions of some kind) · te అర్ధం ఏమిటి (to have intentions of some kind) · km មានន័យ (of a word: to signify) · de bedeuten (to convey, indicate) · la significō (to convey, indicate) · fr vouloir dire (to convey, indicate) · pl chcieć (to intend; plan on doing) · nl bedoelen (of a word: to signify) · it essere fatto per (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · zdj ufasiri (to convey, indicate) · ko 뜻하다 (to convey, indicate) · nn innebere (to convey, indicate) · tl kusain (to intend; plan on doing) · nb innebære (to convey, indicate) · oc significar (of a word: to signify) · ar عَنَى (to convey, indicate) · lo ຫມາຽ (to convey, indicate) · pt pretender (to intend; plan on doing) · tr demek (to convey, indicate) · ro intenționa (to intend; plan on doing) · ko 의도(意圖)하다 (to intend; plan on doing) · it intendere (to have conviction in what one says) · ro însemna (of a word: to signify) · sv mena (to have intentions of some kind) · nl willen zeggen (of a word: to signify) · nl menen (to have conviction in what one says) · pl znaczyć (to convey, indicate) · es significar (to be important) · pt indicar (to convey, indicate) · pt falar sério (to have conviction in what one says) · sv betyda (to result in; bring about) · be зна́чыць (to convey, indicate) · tr kastetmek (of a word: to signify) · tr neden olmak (to result in; bring about) · id berarti (to convey, indicate) · th หมายความ (to convey, indicate) · sv tänka (to intend; plan on doing) · tl ipakahulugan (of a word: to signify) · fi tarkoittaa (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · it significare (to result in; bring about) · tr yol açmak (to result in; bring about) · tl tikisin (to intend; plan on doing) · hi चाह (to intend; plan on doing) · la significo (of a word: to signify) · ru име́ть в виду́ (to have conviction in what one says) · wa awè idêye (to intend; plan on doing) · km ចង់ថា (of a word: to signify) · ro semnifica (of a word: to signify) · sv syfta på (of a word: to signify) · ang willan (to intend; plan on doing) · gl querer dicir (of a word: to signify) · nl betekenen (to be important) · gl pretender (to intend; plan on doing) · it avere intenzione (to intend; plan on doing) · hu tervez (to intend; plan on doing) · bg възнамерявам (to intend; plan on doing) · fi merkitä (to convey, indicate) · es querer decir (to convey, indicate) · vi nghĩa là (to convey, indicate) · es pretender (to intend; plan on doing) · pt significar (to result in; bring about) · uk збира́тися (to have intentions of some kind) · el σημαίνω (to convey, indicate) · th หมายถึง (to convey, indicate) · no bety (to convey, indicate) · bg знача (to be important) · la volo (to intend; plan on doing) · sv betyda (of a word: to signify) · es serle importante a (to be important) · tr sebep olmak (to result in; bring about) · cs znamenat (to convey, indicate) · hu szándékában áll (to intend; plan on doing) · ru име́ть в виду́ (of a word: to signify) · bg имам предвид (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · ang mǣnan (of a word: to signify) · el σημαίνω (of a word: to signify) · nl willen (to intend; plan on doing) · eo signifi (to result in; bring about) · nl betekenen (of a word: to signify) · tl inilaan (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · he הִתְכַּוֵּן (to have intentions of some kind) · is ætla (to intend; plan on doing) · he התכוון (to have conviction in what one says) · tr manasına gelmek (to convey, indicate) · ca significar (to be important) · it volere dire (to result in; bring about) · ko 의도(意圖)하다 (to have intentions of some kind) · ru ду́мать (to have conviction in what one says) · bg имам намерение (to have intentions of some kind) · et tähendama (to convey, indicate) · he התכוון (of a word: to signify) · cs chtít (to intend; plan on doing) · ko 의미(意味)하다 (of a word: to signify) · hu gondol (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · uk зна́чити (to convey, indicate) · da betyde (to convey, indicate) · tg маънӣ кардан (to convey, indicate) · eo intenci (to have intentions of some kind) · uk дума́ти (to have conviction in what one says) · uk означа́ти (to convey, indicate) · ro însemna (to be important) · vi có nghĩa là (of a word: to signify) · hi अर्थात (of a word: to signify) · tl ibig sabihin (to convey, indicate) · izh merkitä (of a word: to signify) · eu esan nahi izan (of a word: to signify) · it volere dire (to convey, indicate) · it tenerci (to be important) · ca voler dir (of a word: to signify) · ca significar (to convey, indicate) · ru означа́ть (to convey, indicate) · he הִתְכַּוֵּן (to have conviction in what one says) · bg знача (of a word: to signify) · ru означа́ть (to result in; bring about) · sv innebära (to result in; bring about) · nl bedoelen (to convey, indicate) · id bermaksud (to intend; plan on doing) · is meina (to convey, indicate) · he הִתְכַּוֵּן (to intend; plan on doing) · bg зна́ча (to convey, indicate) · hu jelent (to be important) · hi चाह (to have intentions of some kind) · he התכוון (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · ko 초래(招來)하다 (to result in; bring about) · hu jelent (of a word: to signify) · ar عَنَى (of a word: to signify) · is meina (of a word: to signify) · de beabsichtigen (to intend; plan on doing) · hu számít (to be important) · lt reikšti (to convey, indicate) · pl mieć na myśli (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · hi अर्थ (to convey, indicate) · th ตั้งใจ (to intend; plan on doing) · hu jár (to result in; bring about) · uk ма́ти на ува́зі (of a word: to signify) · eo voli diri (to convey, indicate) · it portare (to result in; bring about) · is þýða (of a word: to signify) · ru намерева́ться (to intend; plan on doing) · ko 의미(意味)하다 (to have conviction in what one says) · gd ciallaich (to convey, indicate) · bg знача (to result in; bring about) · fi tietää (to convey, indicate) · pt querer (to have intentions of some kind) · es importar (to be important) · sv mena (of a word: to signify) · az demək (to convey, indicate) · uk ма́ти на ува́зі (to have conviction in what one says) · pt querer dizer (of a word: to signify) · ro însemna (to convey, indicate) · hu akar (to intend; plan on doing) · ang ġetācnian (of a word: to signify) · is þýða (to convey, indicate) · ja 意図する (to have intentions of some kind) · tr anlama gelmek (to convey, indicate) · chr ᎤᏰᎸᎭ (to intend; plan on doing) · ko 의미(意味)하다 (to convey, indicate) · km មានន័យ (to convey, indicate) · hi कामना (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · fr entendre faire (to intend; plan on doing) · hu szándékozik (to intend; plan on doing) · de bedeuten (to result in; bring about) · hu céloz (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · it aver l'intenzione (to intend; plan on doing) · de beabsichtigen (of a word: to signify) · hu maga után von (to result in; bring about) · cy golygu (of a word: to signify) · hu szán (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · tr manaya gelmek (to convey, indicate) · eo intenci (to intend; plan on doing) · nl bedoelen (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · wa voleur dire (of a word: to signify) · ja 意味する (to convey, indicate) · tr plânlamak (to have intentions of some kind) · nl bedoelen (to have intentions of some kind) · fi merkitä (to be important) · ang þenċan (to intend; plan on doing) · pt tencionar (to intend; plan on doing) · ja するつもり (to have intentions of some kind) · ro vrea (to intend; plan on doing) · nl betekenen (to convey, indicate) · tr plânlamak (to intend; plan on doing) · ja するつもり (to intend; plan on doing) · te అనుకోవడము (to intend; plan on doing) · cmn ……的意思是…… (of a word: to signify) · az mənaya gəlmək (to convey, indicate) · gl significar (to convey, indicate) · es ser importante (para) (to be important) · cic aachi (of a word: to signify) · te పధకము వేయు (to intend; plan on doing) · eo signifi (to convey, indicate) · fr avoir l'intention (to intend; plan on doing) · ru собира́ться (to intend; plan on doing) · sl pomeniti (to convey, indicate) · tr demek istemek (to have conviction in what one says) · hu akar (to have intentions of some kind) · ja 意味する (to have conviction in what one says) · de meinen (of a word: to signify) · sv mena (to have conviction in what one says) · km បានន័យ (to convey, indicate) · es querer decir (of a word: to signify) · ro but see vorbi serios (to have conviction in what one says) · bg означавам (of a word: to signify) · ang ġetācnian (to convey, indicate) · fr entendre (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · tr tasarlamak (to intend; plan on doing) · cmn 意味 (to convey, indicate) · eo signifi (of a word: to signify) · be азнача́ць (to convey, indicate) · cy golygu (to convey, indicate) · hu ért (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · sv betyda (to convey, indicate) · bg имам предвид (to have conviction in what one says) · is ætla (to have intentions of some kind) · tg ифода кардан (to convey, indicate) · cmn 是……的意思 (to convey, indicate) · fi merkitä (of a word: to signify) · nl van plan zijn (to intend; plan on doing) · sh значити (to convey, indicate) · ang mǣnan (to have conviction in what one says) · mfe vedir (to convey, indicate) · fr signifier (of a word: to signify) · ro dori (to intend; plan on doing) · yi באַטײַטן (of a word: to signify) · da mene (of a word: to signify) · it volere dire (of a word: to signify) · el εννοώ (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · lt turėti omenyje (to convey, indicate) · fi tarkoittaa (to convey, indicate) · bg означа́вам (to convey, indicate) · sk znamenať (to convey, indicate) · az nəzərdə tutmaq (to have conviction in what one says) · ru намерева́ться (to have intentions of some kind) · fr vouloir dire (of a word: to signify) · ru предназначить (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · uk збира́тися (to intend; plan on doing) · pt significar (of a word: to signify) · mk зна́чи (to convey, indicate) · ja 意図する (to intend; plan on doing) · fi tarkoittaa (to have intentions of some kind) · cic aachi (to convey, indicate) · te అనుకొనుట (to convey, indicate) · it volere (to intend; plan on doing) · ar قَصَدَ (of a word: to signify) · ja 意味する (to result in; bring about) · it intendere (to have intentions of some kind) · ru предназначать (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · nn tyda (to convey, indicate) · it significare (of a word: to signify) · uk зна́чити (to result in; bring about) · he הִתְכַּוֵּן (of a word: to signify) · hu jelent (to convey, indicate) · tr kastetmek (to have conviction in what one says) · km ចង់និយាយ (of a word: to signify) · ro vrea să zică (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · ro vrea să spună (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · tl mangahulugan (of a word: to signify) · la indicō (to convey, indicate) · tr demek istemek (of a word: to signify) · it intendere (to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude) · uk означа́ти (to result in; bring about) · fi tarkoittaa (to result in; bring about) · ang mǣnan (to convey, indicate) · cs znamenat (of a word: to signify) · nl betekenen (to result in; bring about) · tr anlamına gelmek (to convey, indicate) · ga ciallaigh (of a word: to signify) · he אָמַר (to convey, indicate) · grc σημαίνω (of a word: to signify) · gl querer (to have intentions of some kind) · pt representar (to result in; bring about) · th หมายถึง (of a word: to signify) · pl znaczyć (of a word: to signify) · ia significar (of a word: to signify) · bg предназначавам (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · eu adierazi (of a word: to signify) · sh značiti (to convey, indicate) · id berarti (of a word: to signify) · he התכוון (to intend; plan on doing) · mk сака (to intend; plan on doing) · ca voler dir (to have conviction in what one says) · cs plánovat (to intend; plan on doing) · ca significar (of a word: to signify) · it significare (to convey, indicate) · lo ກິນຄວາມ (to convey, indicate) · bg предназнача (to intend (something) for a given purpose or fate) · lv nozīmēt (to convey, indicate) · ru зна́чить (to result in; bring about) · ja 意味する (of a word: to signify) · he אָמַר (to be important) · hu jelent (to result in; bring about) · ru зна́чить (to convey, indicate) · fi johtaa (to result in; bring about) · pl chcieć (to have intentions of some kind) · es decir/hablar en serio (to have conviction in what one says) · wa sinifyî (of a word: to signify) · la habeo in animo (to intend; plan on doing) · lo ຜັດວ່າ (to convey, indicate) · fi vihjata (to have conviction in what one says) · he התכוון (to have intentions of some kind)
From Middle English mene, imene, from Old English mǣne, ġemǣne (“common, public, general, universal”), from Proto-West Germanic *gamainī, from Proto-Germanic *gamainiz (“common”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to change, exchange, share”). Doublet of common.
Cognate with West Frisian mien (“general, universal”), Dutch gemeen (“common, mean”), German gemein (“common, mean, nasty”), Danish gemen, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (gamains, “common, unclean”), Latin commūnis (“shared, common, general”) (Old Latin comoinem). For a similar change in definition, see vulgar.
Meanings
(obsolete) Common; general.
(archaic) Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
a man of mean parentage
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding? 1865, “What Child Is This?”, William Chatterton Dix (lyrics):
Thinke you I weigh this treaſure more than you?
Not all the Gold in Indias welthy armes,
Shall buy the meaneſt ſouldier in my traine. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
a mean abode
After every qualification of property had been laid aside, the armies of the Roman emperors were still commanded, for the most part, by officers of liberal birth and education; but the common soldiers, like the mercenary troops of modern Europe, were drawn from the meanest, and very frequently from the most profligate, of mankind. 1776, Edward Gibbon, chapter 1, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC:
Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
a mean appearance
a mean dress
Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
Can you imagine I ſo mean could prove, / To ſave my Life by changing of my Love? 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act IV, scene iv, page 50:
Prince John: Your foe has bloodied you, sir knight. Will you concede defeat? You fight too well to die so mean a death. Will you not throw in your lot with me instead?
Ivanhoe: That would be an even meaner death, Your Grace. 1952, Ivanhoe:
It was mean of you to steal that little girl's piggy bank.
The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. No one queried it. It was in the classic pattern of human weakness, mean and embarrassing and sad. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
You hurt her feelings - that was a mean thing to do.
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Caesar found / Our fathers no mean foes. 1708, [John Philips], “(please specify the page)”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(UK) Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.
Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.
Watch out for her: she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
Powerful; fierce; strong.
[…]in the context of ships available at the time, they were aircraft carrier - fleet carriers. Now, granted, they may not have been the biggest and largest and meanest fleet carriers around, but they certainly were fleet carriers. 2020 February 23, Drachinifel, 8:48 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 082, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022:
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
(colloquial) Hearty; spicy.
We were sitting in Poetta’s candlelit kitchen waiting for some of her gut-burning chili to get done. Everybody that knows Poetta knows that she makes a mean chili that if you eat it by lunchtime, it can clean out your entire system by the end of the day. 2003 July 14, Debra Phillips, The High Price of a Good Man: A Novel, New York City: St. Martin's, page 29:
She wasn’t the most accomplished cook in the world but she cold make a mean stew, she knew how to roast a chicken, and she could whip up eggs at least three different ways. 2021 July 14, Margaret Loudon, A Fatal Footnote, New York City: Berkley, →ISBN, page 109:
(colloquial) Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
A Robot Makes a Mean Caesar Salad, but Will It Cost Jobs? [title] 2017 October 6, Claire Martin, “A Robot Makes a Mean Caesar Salad, but Will It Cost Jobs?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
fr inférieur (low in quality) · fi taitava (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · pt maldoso (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · it malevolo (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · tl imbi (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · te శక్తివంతమైన (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · nl gemeen (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · lv zemisks (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it favoloso (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · ca garrepa (miserly, stingy) · ota پیس (miserly, stingy) · de gemein (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · it spilorcio (miserly, stingy) · fr pingre (miserly, stingy) · ru первоклассный (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · pt ruim (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ja 劣る (low in quality) · ckb ناھەموار (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ko 나쁘다 (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · es que le trata mal a (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ko 나쁘다 (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sc zeccòsu (miserly, stingy) · el κακός (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · nl minderwaardig (low in quality) · es malo (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · sc taccagnu (miserly, stingy) · ru дрянной (low in quality) · bg страхотен (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · ckb ناھەموار (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · pt tacanho (miserly, stingy) · ru скупой (miserly, stingy) · lv nekrietns (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · es mala onda (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · es maldoso (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · pt mau (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · nl gemeen (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ja 汚い (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ko 못되다 (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · bg първоразреден (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · el άθλιος (low in quality) · fi itara (miserly, stingy) · fr inférieure (low in quality) · es ruin (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · es ruin (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · te కష్ట సాధ్యము (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · eu gaizto (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · sdn scurzónu (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ga ocrach (miserly, stingy) · gl mesquiño (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · eo kruela (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · fi ilkeä (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · fi huono (low in quality) · es avieso (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · es mala gente (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · bg страшен (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · pt mau (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · de gemein (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · pt inferior (low in quality) · nl boosaardig (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ko 악(惡)하다 (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ru злой (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · te భయంకరమైన (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · sv elak (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · pt avarento (miserly, stingy) · it furioso (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ota رذیل (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it fantastico (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · sc cananèu (miserly, stingy) · it cattivo (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · it meschino (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · prs خَسِیس (miserly, stingy) · ga tútach (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · cmn 卑鄙的 (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ja 腹黒い (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ar خَسِيس (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ru разрушительный (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · sc isurídu (miserly, stingy) · eo malbonkvalita (low in quality) · bg стиснат (miserly, stingy) · ota ذلیل (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · pt cruel (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · it sgarbato (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · fr radin (miserly, stingy) · pt ótimo (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · fi pihi (miserly, stingy) · te స్వార్ధము (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · tr cimri (miserly, stingy) · eu anker (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · bg зъл (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ota آلچاق (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sdn taccagnu (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · fr cruel (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · tl mababa (low in quality) · es malulo (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · pt terrível (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ru зло́бный (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · nl gemeen (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ru прижимистый (miserly, stingy) · it taccagno (miserly, stingy) · sv gemen (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sc pistriccu (miserly, stingy) · tl mahina (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · eo kruela (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · gl ruín (miserly, stingy) · ru мощный (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ga sprionlaithe (miserly, stingy) · bg подъл (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · bg съсипателен (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · el άγριος (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ko 악의적(惡意的)이다 (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · pt mau (low in quality) · de böse (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it inferiore (low in quality) · ko 가혹(苛酷)하다 (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · pt mesquinho (miserly, stingy) · gl ruín (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it mediocre (low in quality) · es maldoso (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · sdc migragnòsu (miserly, stingy) · pt ruim (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · sc arragatu (miserly, stingy) · ota پنتی (miserly, stingy) · ko 나쁘다 (low in quality) · ru по́длый (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · te నాణ్యత లేని (low in quality) · da nærig (miserly, stingy) · pt excelente (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · te పాడుచేయు (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ja 卑劣な (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it maligno (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · it violento (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · sc grengu (miserly, stingy) · es malo (low in quality) · tl mahina (low in quality) · fi ilkeä (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ko 열등(劣等)하다 (low in quality) · tl bulastog (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · fi kova (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ko 비열(卑劣)하다 (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sc cogheddu (miserly, stingy) · bg низък (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · bg свидлив (miserly, stingy) · te దురుసు (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · it gretto (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ja 悪い (low in quality) · el άγριος (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · tl mumurahin (miserly, stingy) · ga míghnaíúil (miserly, stingy) · it ignobile (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · id jahat (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · te కారణమగుట (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · de mittelmäßig (low in quality) · pt formidável (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · it avaro (miserly, stingy) · it insignificante (low in quality) · bg разрушителен (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · bg посредствен (low in quality) · tl mababa (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sdc atziccaddu (miserly, stingy) · fi voimakas (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · eo malafabla (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · sdc zecchincùru (miserly, stingy) · bg мощен (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · bg първокласен (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · fi vahva (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ru классный (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · fi häijy (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ja 卑しい (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ar لَئِيم (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · lb uerg (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · fi kitsas (miserly, stingy) · it potente (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · ja 厄介な (powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging) · he קַמְצָן (miserly, stingy) · fi nuuka (miserly, stingy) · fi kehno (low in quality) · fr méchant (intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise) · ga ceachartha (miserly, stingy) · ja 下劣な (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ja 醜い (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it eccellente (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · fi näppärä (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with) · es malo (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · sv usel (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ota جمری (miserly, stingy) · ko 치사(恥事)하다 (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ru низкокачественный (low in quality) · sc asuríu (miserly, stingy) · eo malafabla (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · ko 이기적(利己的)이다 (low-minded; acting without consideration of others) · it formidabile (accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with)
From Middle English meene, borrowed from Old French meien (French moyen), Late Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate with mid. For the musical sense, compare the cognate Italian mezzano. Doublet of median and mizzen.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Having the mean as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
In the mountain region of A-erh-t'ai Shan and Hsiang-t'ien Shan⁷, if the mean west wind velocity is five meters per second, the high tendency at 700mb on the anterior mountain slope may exceed 40 meters in 12 hours. 1960 April 7, “Communist China's Achievements in Numerical Weather Forecasting”, in 氣象學報, volume XXX, number 3, United States Joint Publications Research Service, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Apr 2022, page 4:
being of middle age and a mean stature a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
I have declared in the causes what harm costiveness hath done in procuring this disease; if it be so noxious, the opposite must needs be good, or mean at least, as indeed it is […]. , II.ii.2
according to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC:
be сярэ́дні (having the mean as its value) · nl gemiddeld (having the mean as its value) · ru сре́дний (having the mean as its value) · sv medel- (having the mean as its value) · sh srȅdnjī (having the mean as its value) · uk сере́дній (having the mean as its value) · de Mittel- (having the mean as its value) · eo meza (having the mean as its value) · fr moyen (having the mean as its value) · ja 平均の (having the mean as its value) · tl pro-medyo (having the mean as its value) · ca mig (having the mean as its value) · it medio (having the mean as its value) · sv genomsnittlig (having the mean as its value) · ia medie (having the mean as its value) · tl panggitna (having the mean as its value) · ro mediu (having the mean as its value) · cy cymedrig (having the mean as its value) · el μέσος (having the mean as its value) · sk stredný (having the mean as its value) · pl średni (having the mean as its value) · ga meán (having the mean as its value) · ko 평균(平均)의 (having the mean as its value) · pt médio (having the mean as its value) · sl srednji (having the mean as its value) · ja 平均的な (having the mean as its value) · nl gemiddelde (having the mean as its value) · es medio (having the mean as its value) · hy միջին (having the mean as its value) · bg сре́ден (having the mean as its value) · he מְמֻצַּע (having the mean as its value) · mk среден (having the mean as its value) · mzn میون (having the mean as its value) · he ממוצע (having the mean as its value) · fi keski- (having the mean as its value) · cs střední (having the mean as its value) · sh сре̏дњӣ (having the mean as its value)
From Middle English meene, borrowed from Old French meien (French moyen), Late Latin mediānus (“that is in the middle, middle”), from Latin medius (“middle”). Cognate with mid. For the musical sense, compare the cognate Italian mezzano. Doublet of median and mizzen.
Meanings
(also, in a singular sense, qualifier:now chiefly in the plural form means) A method or course of action used to achieve some result.
Philosophical doubt is not an end, but a mean. 1860, William Hamilton, Lectures on Metaphysics:
To say truth, it is a meane full of uncertainty and danger. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 5, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
You may be able, by this mean, to review your own scientific acquirements. c. 1812, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Essays:
Mr Obama produced an only slightly less ambitious goal for deficit reduction than the House Republicans, albeit working from a more forgiving baseline: $4 trillion over 12 years compared to $4.4 trillion over 10 years. But the means by which he would achieve it are very different. 2011 April 14, “Rival visions”, in The Economist:
(obsolete, singular) An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
a. 1623, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi
Apply desperate physic: / We must not now use balsamum, but fire, / The smarting cupping-glass, for that's the mean / To purge infected blood, such blood as hers.
That it was lawful and meritorious to kill and destroy the king, and all the said hereticks. — The mean to effect it, they concluded to be, that, 1. The king, the queen, the prince, the lords spiritual and temporal, the knights and burgoses of the parliament, should be blown up with powder. 2. That the whole royal issue male should be destroyed. S. That they would lake into their custody Elizabeth and Mary the king's daughters, and proclaim the lady Elizabeth queen. 4. That they should feign a Proclamation in the name of Elizabeth, in which no mention should be made of alteration of religion, nor that they were parties to the treason, until they had raised power to perform the same; and then to proclaim, all grievances in the kingdom should be reformed. 1606, The Trials of Robert Winter, Thomas Winter, Guy Fawkes, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Rob. Keyes, Thomas Bates, and Sir Everard Digby, at Westminster, for High Treason, being Conspirators in the Gunpowder-Plot:
Verily in this treatise this hath been mine only purpose; and the mean to bring the same to effect hath been such as whereby I studied to profit wholesomely, not to please delicately. a. 1563, Thomas Harding, "To the Reader", in The Works of John Jewel (1845 ed.)
Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.
as a mean, it implies certain extremes between which it lies, namely the more and the less 1996, Harris Rackham, The Nicomachean Ethics, translation of original by Aristotle, page 118:
1875, William Smith and Samuel Cheetham, editors, A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Little, Brown and Company, volume 1, page 10, s.v. Accentus Ecclesiasticus,
It presents a sort of mean between speech and song, continually inclining towards the latter, never altogether leaving its hold on the former; it is speech, though always attuned speech, in passages of average interest and importance; it is song, though always distinct and articulate song, in passages demanding more fervid utterance.
Then will not this constitution be a kind of mean between aristocracy and oligarchy? 1997, John Llewelyn Davies with David J. Vaughan, Republic, translation of original by Plato, page 263:
(historical) The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.
Of these [rattles] they have Base, Tenor, Countertenor, Meane, and Treble. 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 147:
Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.
Luckily, even though the arithmetic mean is unusable, both the harmonic and geometric means settle to precise values as the amount of data increases. 2002, Clifford A. Pickover, The Mathematics of Oz: Mental Gymnastics from Beyond the Edge, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 246:
Note that (1.41) is simply the probability-weighted mean without any explicit allowance for the stratification; each observation is weighted by its inflation factor and the total divided by the total of the inflation factors for the survey. 1997, Angus Deaton, The Analysis of Household Surveys: A Microeconometric Approach to Development Policy, World Bank Publications, page 51
The generalized power means include power means, certain Gini means, in particular the counter-harmonic means. 2003, P. S. Bullen, Handbook of Means and Their Inequalities, Springer, →ISBN, page 251:
Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency. ▸ The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms.
While the average age of the rioter was 27.8 years, the mean age of the nonrioter was 38.1. 1980 June 22, Richard Morin, “Profile of a Rioter: Under 30, Male, Frustrated”, in The Washington Post, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2017:
Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
...if four numbers be in proportion, the product of the first and last, or of the two extremes, is equal to the product of the second and third, or of the two means. 1825, Silvestre François Lacroix, translated by John Farrar, An Elementary Treatise on Arithmetic, third edition, page 102:
In #92;frac#123;18#125;#123;27#125;#61;#92;frac23, the product of the means is 2#92;cdot27, and the product of the extremes is 18#92;cdot3. Both products are 54. 2007, Carolyn C. Wheater, Homework Helpers: Geometry, Career Press,, →ISBN, page 99:
Using the means-extremes property of proportions, you know that the product of the extremes equals the product of the means. The ratio t/4 = 5/2 can be rewritten as t:4 = 5:2, in which the extremes are t and 2, and the means are 4 and 5. 1999, Dawn B. Sova, How to Solve Word Problems in Geometry, McGraw-Hill,, →ISBN, page 85:
es media (arithmetic mean) · es media (the statistical value) · pt média (the statistical value) · es recurso (method by which something is done) · nl gemiddelde (intermediate value) · fr moyenne (intermediate value) · fi keskiarvo (intermediate value) · mi toharite (intermediate value) · bg междинна стъпка (intermediate step) · ru сре́днее (arithmetic mean) · mi tau toharite (intermediate value) · gd cuibheas (intermediate value) · it media (intermediate value) · it media (arithmetic mean) · is meðaltal (arithmetic mean) · he אמצעי (method by which something is done) · km មធ្យោបាយ (method by which something is done) · ms min (arithmetic mean) · bg средство (method by which something is done) · is milliliður (mathematics: either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion) · es media (intermediate value) · gd cuibheas (arithmetic mean) · is hreint meðaltal (arithmetic mean) · gd meadhan (the statistical value) · ko 평균 (intermediate value) · ar مُتَوَسِّط (the statistical value) · ro mediu (arithmetic mean) · es medio (method by which something is done) · id nilai tengah (arithmetic mean) · mi tau toharite (the statistical value) · ja 平均 (intermediate value) · mn дундаж (arithmetic mean) · pt meio (method by which something is done) · mi tau toharite (arithmetic mean) · eo rimedo (method by which something is done) · grc μεσότης (intermediate value) · ro mediu (intermediate value) · tl tamtaman (arithmetic mean) · id rata-rata (intermediate value) · bg средно (the statistical value) · pt meio (intermediate step) · it medio (mathematics: either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion) · tl kagintaan (intermediate value) · it media (the statistical value) · ro mijloc (intermediate value) · fi keskimmäinen jäsen (mathematics: either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion) · gd meadhan (method by which something is done) · gd cuibheas (the statistical value) · gd meadhan (arithmetic mean) · is venjulegt meðaltal (arithmetic mean) · ru сре́дство (method by which something is done) · id purata (arithmetic mean) · is meðaltal (the statistical value) · ko 평균(平均)값 (intermediate value) · tl paraan (method by which something is done) · fi keskiarvo (arithmetic mean) · de Mittel (intermediate value) · fr moyenne (the statistical value) · ia medio (method by which something is done) · fi tapa (method by which something is done) · pt alto (alto, in music) · de Mittel (method by which something is done) · el μέσος όρος (the statistical value) · id rerata (arithmetic mean) · fr moyenne (arithmetic mean) · te పూర్తి అయింది (method by which something is done) · ja 平均値 (intermediate value) · cs aritmetický průměr (arithmetic mean) · ca mitjana (arithmetic mean) · sv genomsnitt (intermediate value) · fi väliaskel (intermediate step) · fi keino (method by which something is done) · pt média (arithmetic mean) · ro medie (intermediate value) · da middel (method by which something is done) · gd cuibheasachd (arithmetic mean) · bg средна стойност (intermediate value) · fi keskiluku (the statistical value) · ko 평균 (arithmetic mean) · fi keskiluku (intermediate value) · bg начин (method by which something is done) · fi altto (alto, in music) · sv medelvärde (intermediate value) · tr yol (method by which something is done) · pt recurso (method by which something is done) · tl kagitnaan (intermediate value) · bg алт (alto, in music) · pt passo (intermediate step) · is innliður (mathematics: either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion) · ru сре́днее (the statistical value) · pt média (intermediate value) · gd cuibheasachd (the statistical value) · mi toharite (the statistical value) · fi väline (method by which something is done) · ia ressource (method by which something is done) · gd meadhan (intermediate value) · gd cuibheasachd (intermediate value) · fr moyen (method by which something is done) · bg средна стойност (arithmetic mean) · ia media (intermediate value) · fa میانه (intermediate step) · cs prostředek (method by which something is done) · id rata-rata (arithmetic mean) · ms min (the statistical value) · nl middel (method by which something is done) · ko 수단 (method by which something is done) · ko 평균치 (intermediate value) · it mezzo (method by which something is done) · uk сере́днє (arithmetic mean)