emotional intelligence

American

[ih-moh-shuh-nl in-tel-i-juhns] / ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nl ɪnˈtɛl ɪ dʒəns /

noun

Psychology.

skill in perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions and feelings. EI

emotional intelligence British

noun

awareness of one's own emotions and moods and those of others, esp in managing people

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of emotional intelligence

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s a medicated but functioning limbo that Peet, in one of her best roles, conveys without the slightest trace of pity but with a coursing, wryly emotional intelligence that always reveals the sadness fueling it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

AI "hasn't got that emotional intelligence that a human's got," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

The boys learn that they must back their natural talents with drills, emotional intelligence, experience and a more comprehensive and flexible skill set to actually restore Karasuno to its former glory.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2025

Odenkirk admiringly references Seehorn’s level of attention and their shared approach in defending the emotional intelligence of their characters.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2025

No. I knew their emotional intelligence, their delicate minds so near my own.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023