crystallized intelligence

[ kris-tl-ahyzd in-tel-i-juhns ]

noun

1. the ability to use one’s accumulated skills, varieties of knowledge, and experience to make informed decisions: Compare fluid intelligence ( def ).

   Crystallized intelligence peaks in later life, as new experiences tend to expand one's store of knowledge.

Word History and Origins

Origin of crystallized intelligence¹

Coined in 1963 by British-American psychologist Raymond Bernard Cattell ( 1905–1998 )