consciousness

American  

[kon-shuhs-nis] / ˈkɒn ʃəs nɪs /

noun

consciousnesses plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consciousnesses
  plural

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

"He nearly lost consciousness several times," Odeh said of their meeting.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

While that kind of dramatic interference is typical during a staged wrestling fight, Smith appeared to lose consciousness as soon as Jackson body slammed him.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026

There followed a succession of photographic portraits of Lincoln that would cement his image in the popular consciousness and for the first time communicate the singular burdens of the presidency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

Instead, consciousness itself may arise from communication across multiple brain regions rather than from activity within a single area such as the hippocampus.

From Science Daily • Jun. 29, 2026

The light filtered through, a shaded green, and the sound of water wended its way imperceptibly into our consciousness.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility