insight

American  

[in-sahyt] / ˈɪnˌsaɪt /

noun

1. an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding.

   an insight into 18th-century life.

2. penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.

   Synonyms:

   grasp, understanding, intuition, apprehension, perception

3. Psychology.

   1. an understanding of relationships that sheds light on or helps solve a problem.

   2. (in psychotherapy) the recognition of sources of emotional difficulty.

   3. an understanding of the motivational forces behind one's actions, thoughts, or behavior; self-knowledge.

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insight British  

/ ˈɪnˌsaɪt /

noun

1. the ability to perceive clearly or deeply; penetration

2. a penetrating and often sudden understanding, as of a complex situation or problem

3. psychol

   1. the capacity for understanding one's own or another's mental processes

   2. the immediate understanding of the significance of an event or action

4. psychiatry the ability to understand one's own problems, sometimes used to distinguish between psychotic and neurotic disorders

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Other Word Forms

• insightful adjective

Etymology

Origin of insight

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; in- ¹ ( def. ) + sight ( def. )

Example Sentences

Their appearance gives us an insight into how the Palace is seeing things: Beatrice and Eugenie are still members of the Royal Family.

From BBC

Last week, we reported on how China is using insights about animal behavior to train AI-controlled drones.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our goal is to turn fundamental molecular insight into real-world solutions that protect the most vulnerable people in our healthcare system."

From Science Daily

Find insight on oil futures, Shell and more in the latest Market Talks covering Energy and Utilities.

From The Wall Street Journal

Find insight on software stocks, Super Micro Computer and more in the latest Market Talks covering Technology, Media and Telecom.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• acumen
• intuition
• judgment
• observation
• understanding
• vision
• wisdom