intentionality (English)

Where does "intentionality" come from?

The English noun 'intentionality' was formed by combining the adjective 'intentional' with the common abstract suffix '-ity'[1]. Its base word, 'intentional', was borrowed directly from the Medieval Latin form 'intentiōnālis'[2]. Over time, the term expanded from denoting the simple quality of being done on purpose into a specialized philosophical concept referring to how thoughts and mental states are directed toward things outside themselves.

Full etymology tree

• intentionality (English), 'The quality of being intentional.'
  • suffix intentional (English), 'Intended or planned; done deliberately or voluntarily.'
    • borrowed intentiōnālis (Medieval Latin)
  • suffix -ity (English), 'Used to form an uncountable noun from an adjective; especially, to form the noun referring to the state, property, or quality of conforming to the adjective's description.'

Ancestors

• intentional (English)

Sources

1. intentionality (English) - Wiktionary
2. intentional (English) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris