Opinion
/əˈpɪn.jən/noun
A view, belief, or judgment formed about something; a formal decision or judgment in legal contexts.
Did you know?Opinion comes from Latin *opīniō*, linked to *opinārī* meaning “to think, suppose, or believe,” showing that what we call an opinion was once literally an act of mental conjecture rather than certainty.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ep-
“To take, seize, or grasp”
Latin
Latin
opīnārī
“To think, suppose, or believe”
Latin
Latin
opīniō
“A belief, notion, or supposition; also a reputation or estimation”
Old French
Old French
opinion
“Belief, judgment, or conviction”
Middle English
English
opinion
“Belief, judgment, or view”
Modern English
English
opinion
“A personal view or judgment”