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”; see 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

Aerobic exercise improves mood, cognition and cardiovascular health while reducing inflammation and stress.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

Although Centaur was presented as a model capable of simulating cognition, its biggest limitation appears to be in language comprehension.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026

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

While we can’t get inside a Neanderthal mind to understand how they thought, we have indirect evidence of the limits to their cognition compared with their Sapiens rivals.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari