implication

What it means

1. uncountableThe act of implicating.
2. uncountableThe state of being implicated.
3. countableA possible, or indirect, effect or result of a decision or action.

   Dumping waste in the river will have serious implications for the environment.

   2 more examples

   And while that number is expected to shift back slightly into positive territory over this decade, fewer children today establishes an unmistakable implication for tomorrow: fewer adults available as consumers, workers and taxpayers.

   2021 April 23, Ronald Brownstein, “The racist ‘replacement theory’ has it all backward”, in CNN

   With his legal maneuverings, Trump is showing that he also understands the implications of this election — one that could give him substantial powers as president to defray or dismiss many of the legal threats that he’s facing and to behave in office without future accountability.

   2024 February 5, Stephen Collinson, “Trump’s legal battles are at a critical moment with major implications for the 2024 election”, in CNN

In a sentence

Dumping waste in the river will have serious implications for the environment.

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
2. Proto-Italic*en
3. Proto-Italic*en-
4. Latinin-
5. Proto-Indo-European*pel-
6. Proto-Indo-European*pleḱ-
7. Latinplicō
8. Latinimplicō
9. Latinimplicātiōnem
10. Middle Frenchimplication
11. Englishimplication

From Middle French implication, from Latin implicationem (accusative of implicatio). Equivalent to implicate + -ion.