Ambition
nounA strong desire to achieve success, power, or a particular goal.
How to spell ambition
8 letters · 3 syllables
How to pronounce ambition
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does ambition mean?
- nounA strong desire to achieve success, power, or a particular goal.
Ambition in a sentence
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Her ambition to run her own company shaped every career decision.
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A quiet ambition to retire early kept him saving carefully.
Where does ambition come from?
Language of origin: Latin
This word comes from the Latin ambitio, which literally meant 'a going around', built from ambire 'to go around' (from ambi- 'around' and ire 'to go'). In ancient Rome the going around was very concrete: candidates for public office would walk about the city soliciting support and votes, so ambitio came to mean a striving for honour or political advancement. English took the word through Old French ambicion in the 1300s, keeping the sense of an eager desire for success, rank, or distinction. Over time the political flavour faded and it broadened into the general drive to achieve any cherished goal. The same ire 'to go' root sits inside words like 'transit' and 'exit', and the silent reminder of that original 'going around' helps explain the -biti- spelling.
How the word is built
- ambit- (from ambire: to go around, canvass for votes)
- -ion (noun suffix)
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