intellect

[ in-tl-ekt ]

noun

1. the power or faculty of the mind by which one knows or understands, as distinguished from that by which one feels and that by which one wills; the understanding; the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge.

   Synonyms: common sense, sense, reason

2. capacity for thinking and acquiring knowledge, especially of a high or complex order; mental capacity.
3. a particular mind or intelligence, especially of a high order.
4. a person possessing a great capacity for thought and knowledge.
5. minds collectively, as of a number of persons or the persons themselves.

intellect

/ ˈɪntɪˌlɛkt /

noun

1. the capacity for understanding, thinking, and reasoning, as distinct from feeling or wishing
2. a mind or intelligence, esp a brilliant one

   his intellect is wasted on that job

3. informal.
   a person possessing a brilliant mind; brain
4. those possessing the greatest mental power

   the intellect of a nation

Derived Forms

• ˌintelˈlective, adjective
• ˌintelˈlectively, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of intellect¹

1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin intellēctus, equivalent to intelleg(ere) “to understand” + -tus suffix of verbal action; intelligent

Word History and Origins

Origin of intellect¹

C14: from Latin intellectus comprehension, intellect, from intellegere to understand; see intelligence

Synonym Study

See mind.

Example Sentences

Not just your intellect but also — and most hard to replace — your heart.

From Washington Post

“Mayor Buttigieg has impressive credentials that demonstrate his intellect and commitment to serving our nation,” Wicker said.

From Washington Post

“Don’t let the complexity of your intellect cloud what needs to be simple,” she said.

From TechCrunch

A new study by the nonprofit Strada Education Network reveals that for many surprising reasons students who have the motivation and intellect to do well are still receiving too little guidance on what courses they need to succeed.

From Washington Post

Parent applied his versatile intellect to a vast scope of scientific fields.

From Nautilus

As in the case of Turner, the core of the intellect is missing.

From The Daily Beast

Anyone with the intellect of a ping-pong ball should understand how opportunistic that whistleblowing looks.

From The Daily Beast

Renowned livestock specialist and autism advocate Temple Grandin brought her unique intellect and wit to Reddit.

From The Daily Beast

Tavis Smiley, the PBS talk show host and close friend to Cornel West, often credits West with having a “useable intellect.”

From The Daily Beast

He is a man of deep faith and brilliant intellect, with a healthy dose of modernity and realism.

From The Daily Beast

How much of the imagination, how much of the intellect, evaporates and is lost while we seek to embody it in words!

From Project Gutenberg

It is the will directing the activity of the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.

From Project Gutenberg

In running over many words, the intellect might be arrested by chance.

From Project Gutenberg

The intellect might be abolished so far as its participation in such an operation is concerned.

From Project Gutenberg

And the most vivid First Impressions always result from the action of the intellect upon the sensuous stimuli from ear and eye.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ability
• acumen
• genius
• intelligence
• intuition
• judgment
• savvy