intent
UK[ɪnˈtɛnt]US[ɪnˈtɛnt]
n
The thing that you plan to do or achieve; an aim or purpose.
adj
Showing strong interest and attention.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
tent
in
towards
tent
stretch
Etymology
The word "intent" originates from the Latin verb intendere, meaning "to stretch towards, aim at, or direct one's attention to". This verb is a compound of the prefix in- ("towards") and tendere ("to stretch"). The core concept of physically stretching or aiming evolved into the abstract mental sense of directing one's mind or purpose towards a specific goal. In English, the past participle form intentus gave rise to both the noun, signifying the aim or purpose itself, and the adjective, describing a state of concentrated mental focus directed towards an object.
Analysis
Structure: in (towards) + tent (stretch)
- in: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "towards, into, on".
- tent: From Latin tentus, the past participle stem of tendere, meaning "to stretch, aim, strive".
Examples
She stated her intent to run for office.
He listened with an intent expression on his face.
The letter was declared to be a statement of intent.