Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A single article or unit in a collection, enumeration, or series.
  • noun A clause of a document, such as a bill or charter.
  • noun An entry in an account.
  • noun A bit of information; a detail.
  • noun A short piece in a newspaper or magazine.
  • noun A romantically involved couple.
  • adverb Also; likewise. Used to introduce each article in an enumeration or list.
  • transitive verb To record, especially in an itemized list.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An article; a separate particular; a single detail of any kind: as, the account consists of many items.
  • noun An intimation; a reminder; a hint.
  • noun A trick; fancy; caprice. —
  • noun A paragraph in a newspaper; a scrap of news.
  • Also: a word used in introducing the separate articles of an enumeration, as the separate clauses or details of a will or the particular parts of an account or list of things.
  • To make a note or memorandum of.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To make a note or memorandum of.
  • adverb Also; as an additional article.
  • noun An article; a separate particular in an account.
  • noun obsolete A hint; an innuendo.
  • noun A short article in a newspaper; a paragraph.
  • noun A topic or piece of information having the salacious character of gossip, especially a romantic relation between two people.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A distinct physical object.
  • noun A line of text having a legal or semantic meaning.
  • noun A matter for discussion in an agenda.
  • noun informal Two people who are having a relationship with each other.
  • noun psychometrics A question on a test, which may include its answers.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an individual instance of a type of symbol
  • adverb (used when listing or enumerating items) also
  • noun a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
  • noun a whole individual unit; especially when included in a list or collection
  • noun a small part that can be considered separately from the whole
  • noun an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English, also, moreover, from Latin; see i- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

The word started as Latin item for "also", "in the same manner", and got its present English meaning by people misunderstanding usage in lists where the first entry began "Imprimis" (Latin for "firstly"), and the other entries each started "Item" (Latin for "also"), in former times when most learned people in England knew Latin.

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Examples

  • *** If you would like photos of this item please feel free to email me and ask and I will send you some pics of this item***

    craigslist | for sale / wanted in seattle-tacoma 2010

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • StringLeft, item, A_LoopField, \% pos\% listInAbbL\%countAbbL\% = \% item\%

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • StringLeft, item, A_LoopField, \% pos\% listInAbbL\%countAbbL\% = \% item\%

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • StringLeft, item, A_LoopField, \% pos\% listInCmdL\%countCmdL\% = \% item\% listInCmdL = \% listInCmdL\% `, \% item\% pos: = pos + 1

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • Variable4 = Francis count = 0 loop 4 item: = Variable\%A_index\% list = \% item\% \% list\% loop

    AutoHotkey Community 2009

  • f you have been utilizing a project manager or note taker (and God knows you should), be sure to use a few minutes at the end for him or her to review any major new projects or action items that were generated in the meeting. Have the PM email the list of resolved and new action items to all the participants.

    Running More Productive Meetings 2026

  • In the management world, action items are what you would place on your to-do list or a calendar so that you can keep track of things that need to be completed.

    What are Action Items and How to Use Them to Succeed ? imreallyamermaid_ 2026

  • An action item is a documented, discrete, and specific task or activity that can be handled by a particular person.

    Action Items: What They Are & How to Write Them | Geekbot Geekbot 2025

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