Attitude Meaning
/ˈætɪˌtjuːd/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe position of the body or way of carrying oneself.
nounA disposition or state of mind.
Sentence Examples
What do you make of his attitude towards us these days?
Don't take that dramatic attitude all of a sudden.
CEFR Practice Quiz
His negative ____ made the whole team feel discouraged and unmotivated.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Having a positive ____ can help you overcome many difficult trials.
Word Origin & History
From French attitude, from Italian attitudine (“attitude, aptness”), from Medieval Latin aptitūdō (“aptitude”) and actitūdō (“acting, posture”), from Latin aptō and actitō. Doublet of aptitude.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The lamp stood on the table, and Carrara leant by the huge tome spread out before him; and opposite sat Beatrice, bending over her broidery—the small head, with its rich knot of gathered hair, so exquisitely placed—the slender figure, so graceful in its attitude."
— 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 145:
"The guard was paying no attention whatever to the running of his train, in total disregard of rules, and, as the recently-published report of a Ministry of Transport Inspecting Officer of Railways shows, there were other disquieting features in the case, such as ignorance on the part of responsible men of rules and appendix instructions and a lax attitude to regulations of which they professed to be aware, combined with failure to look at staff notice boards."
— 1956 September, “Notes and News: The Barby Sidings Accident Report”, in Railway Magazine, page 638:
"It's up to your attitude / To show the real you / 'Cause it's in your eyes, love / Here where the truth resides, oh-woah-ho"
— 1977, Bar-Kays, “Attitudes”, in Flying High on Your Love:
"And if a nigga get a attitude / Pop it like it's hot"
— 2004, “Drop It Like It's Hot”, performed by Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams:
"I thought you were fine, so fine / But your shitty fuckin' attitude / Has got me changing my mind, yeah"
— 2011, Mayer Hawthorne, “The Walk”, in How Do You Do:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
His negative ____ made the whole team feel discouraged and unmotivated.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Having a positive ____ can help you overcome many difficult trials.