preoccupation

C2 Topic:Mind & Cognition

Also spelled pre-occupation

US /ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/ UK /ˌpɹiɒkjʊˈpeɪʃən/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #41294

Meanings

1

noun
The state of being so absorbed in a thought that you notice little else.

Her preoccupation with work left little time for her family.
2

noun
A thought or interest that constantly fills the mind.

Money had become his only preoccupation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a thought or interest that... obsession

More preoccupancy

Word family

Forms preoccupations

Derived forms overpreoccupationself-preoccupation

Related forms occupation preoccupy

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation.

*keh₂p- Proto-Indo-European praeoccupātiō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Mind & Cognition Word Formation & Derivatives

# preoccupation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən
**IPA (UK):** ˌpɹiɒkjʊˈpeɪʃən
**Frequency rank:** 41294

## Meanings
1. The state of being so absorbed in a thought that you notice little else.
2. A thought or interest that constantly fills the mind.

## Examples
- Her preoccupation with work left little time for her family.
- Money had become his only preoccupation.

## Synonyms
- preoccupancy

## Derived Forms
- overpreoccupation
- self-preoccupation

## Related Forms
- occupation
- preoccupy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *keh₂p-
- Root: praeoccupātiō

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation.

## AI Etymology
Preoccupation is borrowed from Middle French préoccupation, from Latin praeoccupātiō. By surface analysis, pre- + occupation or preoccupy + -ation. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *keh₂p- (Proto-Indo-European) and praeoccupātiō (Latin). Current senses include the state of being so absorbed in a thought that you notice little else and a thought or interest that constantly fills the mind. The wider family includes derived forms such as overpreoccupation and self-preoccupation; related words such as occupation and preoccupy.

## Topics
- Mind & Cognition
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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