# attitude

Pronunciation: US say "AT-i-tood" /ˈætɪˌtud/; UK say "AT-i-tewd" /ˈætɪˌt͡ʃuːd/

## Noun

1. A person's general disposition or settled state of mind, shown in how they think and feel.
   - Simple: The way a person thinks or feels about something.
   - _Her optimistic attitude helped the whole team stay calm._
   - _A negative attitude toward feedback can hold back your growth._
2. Hostile or uncooperative behavior, especially a defiant manner shown toward others. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A rude or angry way of behaving toward other people.
   - _The new recruit showed real attitude whenever an order came down._
   - _Her manager warned her about the attitude she brought to every meeting._
3. The position of the body, or the way a person carries or holds themselves.
   - Simple: The way a person holds or positions their body.
   - _The bronze figure is cast in an attitude of grief, head bowed and both hands covering its face._
   - _The painter asked her to keep the same attitude, one hand resting on the back of the chair._
4. The angle at which a vehicle or other object is positioned with respect to a reference such as the horizon, its direction of travel, or nearby objects.
   - Simple: How a vehicle is tilted or pointed compared with the ground or its direction of travel.
   - _Flight instruments display the aircraft's attitude relative to the horizon._
   - _Controllers adjusted the spacecraft's attitude to align its solar panels._
5. A ballet position much like an arabesque, except the raised leg is bent at the knee rather than held straight.
   - Simple: A ballet pose where a dancer stands on one leg with the other lifted and bent at the knee.
   - _The ballerina extended into an attitude, her back leg curved high behind her._
   - _He practiced his attitude until the bent knee stayed level with his hip._

## Verb

6. To set oneself or an object into a specific position or orientation, or to strike a pose.
   - Simple: To put yourself or something into a certain position, or to strike a pose.
7. To express a mood or disposition through one's posture, bearing, tone of voice, and similar signals. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To show how you feel through your body, your voice, or the way you act.
   - _Some kids attitude their way through every class, slouched low and answering in single words._
   - _She was all attituded up the moment I mentioned her curfew._

## Origin

English borrowed attitude from French, which took it from Italian attitudine. The Italian word combines the histories of Latin aptitūdō ('fitness, aptitude'), from aptus ('suitable, fit'), and āctus ('action, behavior'). Aptitude is a doublet.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/attitude (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).