First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latinsuspīciōn- (stem ofsuspīciō ), equivalent tosuspīc- (variant stem ofsuspicere “to look from below, suspect” ) +-iōn--ion;suspect

C14: from Old Frenchsospeçon, from Latinsuspīciō distrust, fromsuspicere to mistrust; see_suspect

FromBBC

FromLos Angeles Times

FromLos Angeles Times

FromBBC

FromBBC

What does suspicion mean?

Suspicion is the state or act ofsuspecting something—having a sense that it may be true without knowing with certainty.Suspicion can also refer to this sense, as inI had a suspicion that I was going to be fired, or an instance of suspecting someone of something, as inMy suspicions turned out to be right—they had been stealing from the register.Asuspicion is usually based on something, such as ahunch or some kind of evidence, but the word is typically used in situations in which there is some doubt—when someone suspects something, but isn’t sure.Suspicion is most commonly used in negative contexts, but this isn’t always the case. For example, you might have asuspicion that someone is planning a surprise party for you.Suspicion can also refer to a state of mind, as inHe’s always been prone to suspicion. To regard something withsuspicion is to regard it with distrust.Sometimes,suspicion refers to the state of being suspected, especially of a crime or other wrongdoing. This sense of the word is often used in phrases likeunder suspicion andon suspicion of, as inHe was arrested on suspicion of robbery.Someone who’s considered highly trustworthy might be described asabove suspicion, meaning you would never suspect them of doing anything wrong.The adjectivesuspicious can describe a person who hassuspicions about others, as inMy parents got suspicious when I kept asking whether they’d be home tomorrow, or someone or something that arouses suspicion, as in a suspicious package.Example:We have suspected it all along, and what happened today confirmed our suspicions.