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Synonyms

intelligent

American  
[in-tel-i-juhnt] / ɪnˈtɛl ɪ dʒənt /

adjective

  1. having good understanding or a high mental capacity; quick to comprehend, as persons or animals.

    an intelligent student.

    Synonyms:
    bright
    Antonyms:
    stupid
  2. displaying or characterized by quickness of understanding, sound thought, or good judgment.

    an intelligent reply.

    Synonyms:
    smart, shrewd, discerning, apt, bright, alert, clever, astute
    Antonyms:
    stupid
  3. having the faculty of reasoning and understanding; possessing intelligence.

    intelligent beings in outer space.

  4. Computers. pertaining to the ability to do data processing locally; smart.

    An intelligent terminal can edit input before transmission to a host computer.

  5. Archaic. having understanding or knowledge (usually followed byof ).


intelligent British  
/ ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒənt /

adjective

  1. having or indicating intelligence

  2. having high intelligence; clever

  3. indicating high intelligence; perceptive

    an intelligent guess

  4. guided by reason; rational

  5. (of computerized functions) able to modify action in the light of ongoing events

  6. archaic having knowledge or information

    they were intelligent of his whereabouts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Intelligent, intellectual describe distinctive mental capacity. Intelligent often suggests a natural quickness of understanding: an intelligent reader. Intellectual implies not only having a high degree of understanding, but also a capacity and taste for the higher forms of knowledge: intellectual interests. See sharp.

Other Word Forms

  • hyperintelligent adjective
  • hyperintelligently adverb
  • intelligently adverb
  • nonintelligent adjective
  • nonintelligently adverb
  • preintelligent adjective
  • preintelligently adverb
  • quasi-intelligent adjective
  • quasi-intelligently adverb
  • semi-intelligent adjective
  • semi-intelligently adverb
  • superintelligent adjective

Etymology

Origin of intelligent

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin intelligent- (stem of intelligēns, present participle of intelligere, variant of intellegere “to understand,” literally, “choose between),” equivalent to intel- (variant of inter- inter- ) + -lig- (combining form of leg-, stem of legere “to pick up, choose”; lection ) + -ent- -ent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Since its Cannes premiere, “Sentimental Value” has been lauded for such scenes, which underline the subtle force of this intelligent tearjerker about a frayed family trying to repair itself.

From Los Angeles Times

A robot that seems “as intelligent, as attentive, and as faithful, as a dog” — no earlier than 2048, he conjectured in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times

The team is already working to integrate these molecular systems onto silicon chips, with the goal of creating future AI hardware that is both energy efficient and inherently intelligent.

From Science Daily

"He was charming, intelligent. He came from a culture I wanted to absorb," she says.

From BBC

I completely trust her, as she is an intelligent and responsible individual.

From MarketWatch