Target Meaning
/ˈtɑː.ɡɪt/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile.
nounA goal or objective.
Sentence Examples
Your point may be a little off target, but it certainly is close.
This seminar will target senior marketing leaders from Japanese firms.
The activation of several target genes results in two major effects.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The archer aimed his arrow at the round ____ on the wall.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sales team is working very hard to reach their annual ____ and earn a bonus for their excellent performance today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe (“light shield”), from Old French, from Frankish *targa (“buckler”), akin to Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)), Spanish tarjeta (“card”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today."
— 2013 June 22, “Engineers of a different kind”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 70:
"These four came all afront, and mainly thrust at me. I made me no more ado but took all their seven points in my target, thus."
— c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], line 200:
"The target or buckler was carried by the heavy armed foot, it answered to the scutum of the Romans; its form was sometimes that of a rectangular parallelogram, but more commonly had its bottom rounded off; it was generally convex, being curved in its breadth."
— 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 22:
"The fourth field is also party per pale, and for the dutchy of Genevois, contains chequered Or and azure: The sinister for the dutchy of Montserat, a target, gules. The point Or is a black eagle of the county of Maurienne."
— 1762, Anton Friedrich Büsching, A New System of Geography: In which is Given, a General Account of the Situation and Limits, the Manners, History, and Constitution, of the Several Kingdoms and States of the Known World, page 12:
"Gary Cahill, a target for Arsenal and Tottenham before the transfer window closed, put England ahead early on and Rooney was on target twice before the interval as the early hostility of the Bulgarian supporters was swiftly subdued."
— 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The archer aimed his arrow at the round ____ on the wall.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The sales team is working very hard to reach their annual ____ and earn a bonus for their excellent performance today.