thinking

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #366

Meanings

1

noun
The activity of using your mind to consider or reason about something.

Clear thinking is essential when you solve difficult problems.
2

noun
An opinion or way of judging a situation.

What is your thinking on this subject?
3

adj
Able to reason and consider things carefully.

Any thinking person can see that the plan will fail.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the activity of using your... thoughtthought processcerebration

3 adj · able to reason and consider... intelligent

Word family

Derived forms group-thinking

Appears in

Phrases (9)

See all

creative thinking
the capacity to generate original and inventive ideas

Adjective + noun
critical thinking
the ability to analyse and evaluate information objectively and logically

Adjective + noun
logical thinking
reasoning that follows clear and consistent principles

Adjective + noun
wishful thinking
believing something is true or achievable simply because you want it to be, regardless of evidence

Adjective + noun
challenge someone's thinking
question or push against the way a person reasons or holds their views

Verb + noun
influence someone's thinking
have a notable effect on how a person reasons or forms opinions

Verb + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

put on your thinking cap
start thinking carefully about a problem or question

Etymology

From Middle English thenkinge, þinkynge, þenkynge, þenchinde, from Old English þenċende, from Proto-Germanic *þankijandz, present participle of *þankijaną (“to think”), equivalent to think + -ing. Cognate with Dutch denkend (“thinking”), German denkend (“thinking”), Swedish tänkande (“thinking”).

thenkinge Middle English þenċende Old English *þankijandz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# thinking

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 366

## Meanings
1. The activity of using your mind to consider or reason about something.
2. An opinion or way of judging a situation.
3. Able to reason and consider things carefully.

## Examples
- Clear thinking is essential when you solve difficult problems.
- What is your thinking on this subject?
- Any thinking person can see that the plan will fail.

## Derived Forms
- group-thinking

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: thenkinge
- Root: þenċende
- Root: *þankijandz

## Etymology
From Middle English thenkinge, þinkynge, þenkynge, þenchinde, from Old English þenċende, from Proto-Germanic *þankijandz, present participle of *þankijaną (“to think”), equivalent to think + -ing. Cognate with Dutch denkend (“thinking”), German denkend (“thinking”), Swedish tänkande (“thinking”).

## AI Etymology
Thinking comes from Middle English thenkinge, þinkynge, þenkynge, þenchinde, from Old English þenċende, from Proto-Germanic *þankijandz, present participle of *þankijaną (“to think”), equivalent to think + -ing. Cognate with Dutch denkend (“thinking”), German denkend (“thinking”), Swedish tänkande (“thinking”). The historical chain includes thenkinge (Middle English), þenċende (Old English), and *þankijandz (Proto-Germanic). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as group-thinking. In present use it covers the activity of using your mind to consider or reason about something, an opinion or way of judging a situation, and able to reason and consider things carefully.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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