understanding — the ability to comprehend something; sympathetic awareness
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the ability to comprehend something; sympathetic awareness
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/
Example Sentences
- My cat shows surprising understanding when I'm sad - it brings me dead mice as comfort food.
- There's an unspoken understanding between coffee and me every Monday morning.
- We need to develop a better understanding of climate change.
understanding
NOUN[/ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/]
the ability to comprehend something; sympathetic awareness
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'understandan', combining 'under' (beneath, among) and 'standan' (to stand). The original sense was physical—to stand under or among something—which evolved metaphorically to mean grasping or comprehending something mentally.
Breakdown
under- (beneath, among) + stand (to stand) + -ing (present participle/gerund noun) = understanding
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat shows surprising understanding when I'm sad - it brings me dead mice as comfort food.”
“There's an unspoken understanding between coffee and me every Monday morning.”
“We need to develop a better understanding of climate change.”
“Thank you for being so understanding about my mistake.”
📚Related Words
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