# aim

> English word · Noun · IPA /eɪm/ · frequency rank #2,927

## Definitions
1. The pointing of a weapon, as a gun, a dart, or an arrow, or object, in the line of direction with the object intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, such as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it.
2. The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.
3. Intention or goal.
4. The ability of someone to aim straight; one’s faculty for being able to hit a physical target.
5. Conjecture; guess.

## Etymology
The verb is from Middle English amen, aimen, eimen (“to guess at, to estimate, to aim”), borrowed from Old French esmer, aesmer, asmer, from Latin ad- plus aestimare (“to estimate”), the compound perhaps being originally formed in Medieval Latin (adaestimare), perhaps in Old French.
The noun is from Middle English ame, from Old French aesme, esme.

## Easily confused with
- **as** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-as)
- **at** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-at)
- **an** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-an)
- **AM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-am)
- **AL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-al)
- **AP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ap)
- **aw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-aw)
- **AR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ar)
- **AU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-au)
- **AK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ak)
- **AZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-az)
- **av** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-av)
- **ay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ay)
- **ao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ao)
- **ax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-ax)
- **and** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-and)
- **are** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-are)
- **all** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-all)
- **any** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-any)
- **air** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aim-vs-air)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/aim