cognition

American  

[kog-nish-uhn] / kɒgˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

1. the act or process of knowing; perception.

2. the product of such a process; something thus known, perceived, etc.

3. knowledge.

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cognition British  

/ kɒɡˈnɪʃən /

noun

1. the mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired, including perception, intuition, and reasoning

2. the knowledge that results from such an act or process

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cognition Scientific  

/ kŏg-nĭsh′ən /

1. The mental process of knowing, including awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment.

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Other Word Forms

• cognitional adjective
• noncognition noun
• self-cognition noun

Etymology

Origin of cognition

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English cognicioun, from Latin cognitiōn-, stem of cognitiō “knowledge, a learning,” equivalent to cognit(us) “learned, known” (past participle of cognōscere “to learn, become acquainted,” from co- co- + gnōscere, nōscere “to learn”; know ¹ ) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Cognition is the act of thinking, perceiving, and understanding. It's cognition that makes it possible for you to learn a foreign language. The word cognition is most often used in scholarly or formal writing about learning and thinking, though you can also use it to describe what happens when you use your brain power to complete a crossword puzzle or remember math equations for a test. Cognition comes from the Latin cognitio, meaning "a getting to know, knowledge" combining com-, "together," and gnoscere, "to know."

Example Sentences

It can help with the preservation of cognition as we get older.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Increased levels of klotho are thought to combat inflammation and improve cognition, and therapies to boost its production are being developed in the U.S. to target specific neurodegenerative ailments, such as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Plant sentience, however, is goal-directed and suggests clear cognition of the surrounding environment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

"Animal cognition in the wild may sometimes be more sophisticated than we tend to assume," Loretto said.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

How good people’s decisions are under the fast-moving, high-stress conditions of rapid cognition is a function of training and rules and rehearsal.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell