contents
|con-tents|
🇺🇸
/ˈkɑːn.tɛnts/
🇬🇧
/ˈkɒn.tɛnts/
(content)
satisfaction or subject matter
Etymology
'content' originates from Latin, specifically the past participle 'contentus' (from 'continēre'), where 'con-' (com-/con-) meant 'together' and 'tenēre' (or 'tenir') meant 'to hold.'
'content' changed from Latin 'contentus' into Old French 'content,' entered Middle English as 'content,' and eventually developed into modern English 'content' with the plural 'contents' for the noun meaning 'things contained.'
Initially it meant 'contained' or 'held together' (from the sense of being held), then it broadened to mean 'satisfied' (as in 'content' = 'satisfied'), and as a noun it came to mean 'that which is contained' (the contents of something).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the things that are held inside something (e.g., the items in a container, book, or package).
She checked the contents of the package.
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Noun 2
a list of the chapters or sections of a book, magazine, or document (short for 'table of contents').
Check the contents to find the chapter you need.
Synonyms
Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'content' — to make someone satisfied or to satisfy oneself (often used reflexively: 'contents himself/herself with ...').
He contents himself with a simple meal.
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Last updated: 2025/11/15 10:40