meaning

What is meant by words or things. In the philosophy of language, there are various theories about the meaning of words and sentences; for example, that a meaningful proposition must be possible to check (verifiability). When things (or life itself) have meaning, it is because we understand them (‘Clouds mean rain’) or they have significance (‘This ring means a lot to me’).

Perhaps the most influential theory of meaning is German philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's use theory, which states that the meaning of a word or expression is to be found in its use. For Wittgenstein, the meaning of a word or sentence is not subjective and private but public, because it requires social conventions for its use.