What is the difference between purpose and function?
purpose | function | Synonyms |
An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=
, volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= A result that is desired; an intention.
The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
* 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=
, title= The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
(obsolete) Instance; example.
Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
* Macaulay
(passive ) Designed for some purpose.
(obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.
What something does or is used for.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author=
, title= A professional or official position.
(senseid)An official or social occasion.
A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
(mathematics) A relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
(computing) A routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
(biology) The physiological activity of an organ or body part.
(chemistry) The characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
(anthropology) The role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.
Function is a synonym of purpose.
As nouns the difference between purpose and function
is that purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal while function is what something does or is used for.As verbs the difference between purpose and function
is that purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan while function is to have a function.purpose
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)Ed Pilkington
‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told, passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
- United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.
Sarah Glaz
Ode to Prime Numbers, volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}
- (Spenser)
- The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.
Synonyms
* (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See alsoDerived terms
(terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purposeEtymology 2
From (etyl)Verb
(purpos)- I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.
- (Spenser)
Derived terms
* purposed * purposer * purposive * on purposeSynonyms
* (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intendedReferences
* * *Statistics
*function
English
Noun
(en noun)Katrina G. Claw
Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm, volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions , which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.}}