Link Centre Dictionary

contemplate

con·temp·late

UK/ˈkɒn.təmˌpleɪt/ US/ˈkɑn.təmˌpleɪt/ uncommon

verb

1.

look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought

  • “contemplate one”
2.

consider as a possibility

  • “I contemplated leaving school and taking a full-time job”
3.

think intently and at length, as for spiritual purposes

  • “He is meditating in his study”
Synonyms
4.

reflect deeply on a subject

  • “I mulled over the events of the afternoon”
  • “philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years”
  • “The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate”
Synonyms

Origin

First attested in the 1590s; borrowed from Latin contemplātus, the perfect active participle of contemplor (“to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). See also template.

Phrases

  • contemplate one's navel

Related words

Word family

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.