consciousness

American  

[kon-shuhs-nis] / ˈkɒn ʃəs nɪs /

noun

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

• underconsciousness noun

Etymology

Origin of consciousness

First recorded in 1625–35; conscious + -ness

Example Sentences

It is now 20 years since the term "phone-hacking" entered the public consciousness, and 15 years since the News of the World closed - a tabloid marred by the scandal.

From BBC

Children with the condition suffer severe epilepsy, including seizures which can cause them to lose consciousness.

From BBC

Creepy ring iconography crowded my consciousness: the unsettling surveillance of Amazon ring devices.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ridings, who has dyslexia, says her mum often helps her write down and edit her "stream of consciousness" lyrics.

From BBC

"He's back to consciousness. He's just being tested, checked and monitored and he will hopefully fly back to Ireland on Friday."

From BBC

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility