consciousness

American  

[kon-shuhs-nis] / ˈkɒn ʃəs nɪs /

noun

1. the state of being conscious; awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.

2. the thoughts and feelings, collectively, of an individual or of an aggregate of people.

   the moral consciousness of a nation.

3. full activity of the mind and senses, as in waking life.

   to regain consciousness after fainting.

4. awareness of something for what it is; internal knowledge.

   consciousness of wrongdoing.

5. concern, interest, or acute awareness.

   class consciousness.

6. the mental activity of which a person is aware as contrasted with unconscious mental processes.

7. Philosophy. the mind or the mental faculties as characterized by thought, feelings, and volition.

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idioms

1. raise one's consciousness, to increase one's awareness and understanding of one's own needs, behavior, attitudes, etc., especially as a member of a particular social or political group.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underconsciousness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of consciousness

First recorded in 1625–35; conscious + -ness

Explanation

When you are awake and aware of your surroundings, that's consciousness. There are different types of consciousness, including social consciousness, being aware of injustices in society. The early Latin word conscius meant "with knowing," but it meant a shared knowledge, a meaning that was retained through the 16th Century. John Locke was the first to describe consciousness in relation to the individual, referring to it as “the perception of what passes in a man’s own mind." If you lose consciousness during the performance, we'll wake you up with some smelling salts!

Example Sentences

“When I’d told him that I was on a mission to help elevate human consciousness, he was very insistent that I come work with him,” recalled Caminos, an Argentine energy healer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

One of many joys of “Contrapposto” is observing Cricket’s artistic awakening via the mentors who guide him into his artistic consciousness.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

The game in Odense was stopped on 65 minutes when he collapsed and was abandoned shortly after, with the 34-year-old able to walk from the field after regaining consciousness.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Do the children grow into adults, or are their smaller car parts replaced with larger car parts — and if so, how do they retain their consciousness during this process?

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

Viewing exhibitions at the Guggenheim is like being conducted through a predetermined stream of consciousness, where everything merges into a total unity.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility