French Conversation · Level 21
89 words
French word
notion
Pronunciation
IPA/nosjɔ̃/
Meaning
- feminine nounidea
Example
J'ai une notion de ce problème.
I have a vague idea of this problem.
More examples
Il a une notion vague de la situation.
He has a hazy idea of the situation.
Core concept
A light outline of a subject, enough to recognize its shape but not its details.
Common phrases
avoir une notion de
have a slight understanding of ___
une notion vague de
a hazy idea of ___
Similar words
idée: A particular thought or creative idea.
connaissance: A body of knowledge and information acquired through study or experience.
aperçu: A short overview that gives a general understanding of a subject.
Definition in French
Compréhension sommaire ou vague d'une chose, sans maîtrise ni précision.
Word origin
French notion comes from Latin notio, 'recognition' or 'understanding', formed from noscere, 'to know'.
Usage tips
- In French, avoir une notion de quelque chose usually means having limited knowledge of it, unlike English notion, which often means an idea or belief.