Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

intensionality

Noun

/ɪnˌtɛnʃəˈnælɪti/

Definition

The quality or state of being intensional, often relating to the conditions under which a term or concept is used.

Examples

The intensionality of the word ‘cat’ refers not just to the actual cats but to the concept of what it means to be a cat.
In logic, the intensionality of a statement often examines how meaning affects its truth conditions.

Meaning

Intensionality refers to the characteristic of a term or expression that pertains to the meaning it conveys rather than just referring to an object in the external world. It is a key concept in philosophy and semantics, focusing on how words signify and how meaning is imagined rather than how they correlate with real-world entities.