Acceptation

/ˌæksepˈteɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The interpretation or understanding given to a word or concept; a particular meaning accepted in a specific community or context.

Etymology

From Latin 'acceptatio' (favorable reception). In English, it came to mean a specific received meaning or interpretation of a word, emphasizing how meaning is collectively accepted.

Kelly Says

The word 'gay' has completely changed its primary acceptation in 100 years—showing how meanings aren't fixed in dictionaries but live and shift in how communities actually use them.

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