PURPORT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does purport mean? 

• PURPORT (noun)
  The noun PURPORT has 2 senses:

1. the intended meaning of a communication

2. the pervading meaning or tenor

  Familiarity information: PURPORT used as a noun is rare.

• PURPORT (verb)
  The verb PURPORT has 2 senses:

1. have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming

2. propose or intend

  Familiarity information: PURPORT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PURPORT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The intended meaning of a communication

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

intent; purport; spirit

Hypernyms ("purport" is a kind of...):

import; meaning; significance; signification (the message that is intended or expressed or signified)

Derivation:

purport (propose or intend)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The pervading meaning or tenor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

drift; purport

Context example:

caught the general drift of the conversation

Hypernyms ("purport" is a kind of...):

strain; tenor (the general meaning or substance of an utterance)

• PURPORT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they purport    ... he / she / it purports   
Past simple: purported   
Past participle: purported   
-ing form: purporting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The letter purports to express people's opinion

Hypernyms (to "purport" is one way to...):

claim (assert or affirm strongly; state to be true or existing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They purport to move

Sense 2

Meaning:

Propose or intend

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

aim; propose; purport; purpose

Context example:

I aim to arrive at noon

Hypernyms (to "purport" is one way to...):

intend; mean; think (have in mind as a purpose)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

purport (the intended meaning of a communication)

 Context examples 

This gene is purported to have oncogenic activity and is involved in cellular differentiation.

(EVI2B Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in transcriptional initiation and has been purported to play an oncogenic role in breast cancer development.

(BRF2 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in cellular growth regulation and is purported to have tumor suppression activity.

(BAP1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein is purported to play a role in tumor suppresion, but an exact function has yet to be identified.

(Folliculin, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes probable P2Y purinoceptor GPR17 protein, plays a role in G protein-coupled receptor activities and is purported to play a role in the regulation of receptor-purine interactions.

(GPR17 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

I should not have understood the purport of this book had not Felix, in reading it, given very minute explanations.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

This gene plays a role in G protein-coupled receptor signal transduction and is purported to play a role in embryonic development and epithelial differentiation.

(GPRC5A Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

It is purported to be involved in the modulation of amphipathic transporters and their activities.

(ATP8A2 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in transcriptional activation and is purported to play roles in lymphoid development and oncogenesis.

(AFF3 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

May I now venture to confide to Mr. T. the purport of my letter?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)