decision
UK[dɪˈsɪʒn]US[dɪˈsɪʒn]
n
a choice or judgment that you make after thinking about various possibilities
n
the ability to make choices or judgments quickly and confidently
n
the quality of being definite and firm
Morpheme Breakdown
de
cide
sion
de
off, away
cide
cut
sion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'decision' originates from the Latin verb decidere, meaning "to cut off, to determine, to settle." This verb is itself a compound of the prefix de- ("off") and the verb caedere ("to cut"). The literal image is of cutting something off from other possibilities, thereby finalizing a choice. The noun form decisionem (a cutting off, a decision) entered Middle English via Old French. Over time, the concrete sense of physically cutting something away evolved into the abstract mental process of reaching a conclusion or making a definitive choice, which is its core meaning today.
Analysis
Structure: de (off, away) + cide (cut) + sion (noun suffix)
- de: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "off, away, from, down, completely."
- cide: From Latin caedere (to cut, to strike, to kill), appearing in English as the substring "cide" in words like 'decide', 'homicide', 'insecticide'.
- sion: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin (-sio, -tionis), indicating an action, process, or result.
Examples
She made the difficult decision to change careers.
The committee will announce its final decision tomorrow.
He is a leader known for his clarity and speed of decision.