item

noun, verb, adv — 12 senses

item

nounalso spelled Item

UK /ˈaɪ.təm/ · CA, US /ˈaɪ.təm/

Etymology From Middle English item, from Latin item (“also; in the same manner”). The present English meaning derives from a usage in lists, where the first entry would begin in primis (“firstly”) or imprimis, and the other entries with item (“also, moreover”). Later, the members of lists were referred to as "items".

9 senses
  1. 1A distinct physical object.
  2. 2An object that can be picked up for later use.
  3. 3A line of text having a legal or other meaning; a…
  4. 4A question on a test, which may include its answers.
  5. 5A matter for discussion in an agenda.
  6. 6Two people who are having a romantic or sexual…
  7. 7A short article in a newspaper.
  8. 8A hint; an innuendo.
  9. 9Ellipsis of item girl.
1

A distinct physical object.

  • Tweezers are great for manipulating small items.
  • The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters […]. But the priciest items in the market aren't the armadillo steaks or even the bluefin tuna.2013 July 26, Nick Miroff, “Mexico gets a taste for eating insects […] ”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 32:
2

Video games Broadly An object that can be picked up for later use.

3

A line of text having a legal or other meaning; a separate particular in an account.

  • the items in a bill
  • In response to the first item, we deny all wrongdoing.
1 more example
  • Beyond being mere items of a legal code, they [the mitzvot] are the very basis of the relationship that God and the people Israel have established.2001, David L. Lieber and Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 1143:
4

A question on a test, which may include its answers.

  • The exam has 100 items, each of which includes a correct response and three distractors.
5

A matter for discussion in an agenda.

  • The first item for discussion is the budget for next year's picnic.
6

Informal Two people who are having a romantic or sexual relationship with each other.

  • Jack and Jill are an item.
  • Are we an item? Girl, quit playin' / "We're just friends," what are you sayin'?2010, Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris, Baby:
7

A short article in a newspaper.

  • an item concerning the weather
8

Obsolete A hint; an innuendo.

  • A secret item was given to some of the bishops […] to absent themselves.1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
9

India, Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of item girl.

  • In this chapter, we will attempt to trace the course of initiation into the classical arts, from the self-taught gyrations of Bollywood items to the serious rigours of a classical Indian dance form.2017, Nandita Chaudhary, Pernille Hviid, Giuseppina Marsico, Resistance in Everyday Life: Constructing Cultural Experiences, page 246:
Synonyms
article, object, thing, subject, topic, couple, test, assessment question
Derived terms
26 termsaction item, big-ticket item, blind item, end item, individual item picking, interitem, item girl, itemization, itemize, itemise, item journal, item number, item of clothing, item set, itemset, itemwise, lexical item, line item, line-item veto, multiitem, news item, nonstandard item, novelty item, service item, subitem, vanity item
Hyponyms
collector's item, negative polarity item, polarity item, positive polarity item, subitem

item

verb

Etymology From Middle English item, from Latin item (“also; in the same manner”). The present English meaning derives from a usage in lists, where the first entry would begin in primis (“firstly”) or imprimis, and the other entries with item (“also, moreover”). Later, the members of lists were referred to as "items".

1

To make a note of.

Related terms
itemize

item

adv

Etymology From Middle English item, from Latin item (“also; in the same manner”). The present English meaning derives from a usage in lists, where the first entry would begin in primis (“firstly”) or imprimis, and the other entries with item (“also, moreover”). Later, the members of lists were referred to as "items".

1

likewise

Item

noun
1

radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter I.

World War II era; joint US/RAF; World War II era; joint US/RAF

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for item and Item.