perception

[per-sep-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or faculty of perceiving, or apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; understanding.

   Synonyms: recognition, sense, awareness

2. immediate or intuitive recognition or appreciation, as of moral, psychological, or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition; discernment.

   an artist of rare perception.

3. the result or product of perceiving, as distinguished from the act of perceiving; percept.

4. Psychology.,  a single unified awareness derived from sensory processes while a stimulus is present.

5. Law.,  the taking into possession of rents, crops, profits, etc.

perception

/ pəˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the act or the effect of perceiving

2. insight or intuition gained by perceiving

3. the ability or capacity to perceive

4. way of perceiving; awareness or consciousness; view

   advertising affects the customer's perception of a product

5. the process by which an organism detects and interprets information from the external world by means of the sensory receptors

6. law the collection, receipt, or taking into possession of rents, crops, etc

Other Word Forms

• perceptional adjective
• nonperception noun
• nonperceptional adjective
• reperception noun
• self-perception noun
• unperceptional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perception¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English percepcioun, from Old French percepcïon, from Latin perceptiōn-, stem of perceptiō “comprehension,” literally, “a taking in”; percept, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of perception¹

C15: from Latin perceptiō comprehension; see _perceive

Example Sentences

It's not just about romantic partners, she explains, but the music industry, and public perception.

From BBC

"I think the perception of me is that I live full-time out in Vancouver these days," Carlyle says.

From BBC

"I don't think it's necessarily changed buyers' perception of the challenges in the market, but it's certainly got their attention."

From BBC

Even so, I can recognize and admire the breadth of his influence on perceptions of Mexican food within the United States.

From Los Angeles Times

"The perception of a period can take over, but when the players have their rugby head on, they tend to be focused and pretty involved," said Okell.

From BBC

Related Words

• approach 
• attention 
• attitude 
• awareness 
• concept 
• consciousness 
• feeling 
• image 
• impression 
• judgment 
• knowledge 
• notion 
• opinion 
• recognition 
• sense 
• taste 
• thought 
• viewpoint