intellectual

American  

[in-tl-ek-choo-uhl] / ˌɪn tlˈɛk tʃu əl /

adjective

1. appealing to or engaging the intellect.

   intellectual pursuits.

   Synonyms:

   mental

2. of or relating to the intellect or its use.

   intellectual powers.

   Synonyms:

   mental

3. possessing or showing intellect or mental capacity, especially to a high degree.

   an intellectual person.

4. guided or developed by or relying on the intellect rather than upon emotions or feelings; rational.

5. characterized by or suggesting a predominance of intellect.

   an intellectual way of speaking.

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noun

1. a person of superior intellect.

2. a person who places a high value on or pursues things of interest to the intellect or the more complex forms and fields of knowledge, as aesthetic or philosophical matters, especially on an abstract and general level.

3. an extremely rational person; a person who relies on intellect rather than on emotions or feelings.

4. a person professionally engaged in mental labor, as a writer or teacher.

5. Archaic. intellectuals,

   1. the mental faculties.

   2. things pertaining to the intellect.

intellectual British  

/ ˌɪntɪˈlɛktʃʊəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the intellect, as opposed to the emotions

2. appealing to or characteristic of people with a developed intellect

   intellectual literature

3. expressing or enjoying mental activity

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noun

1. a person who enjoys mental activity and has highly developed tastes in art, literature, etc

2. a person who uses or works with his intellect

3. a highly intelligent person

intellectual Cultural  

1. A person who engages in academic study or critical evaluation of ideas and issues. (See intelligentsia.)

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Related Words

See intelligent.

Other Word Forms

• half-intellectual adjective
• half-intellectually adverb
• hyperintellectual adjective
• hyperintellectually adverb
• hyperintellectualness noun
• intellectuality noun
• intellectually adverb
• intellectualness noun
• nonintellectual adjective
• nonintellectually adverb
• nonintellectualness noun
• overintellectual adjective
• overintellectually adverb
• overintellectualness noun
• preintellectual adjective
• preintellectually adverb
• quasi-intellectual adjective
• quasi-intellectually adverb
• semi-intellectual adjective
• semi-intellectually adverb
• superintellectual adjective
• superintellectually adverb
• unintellectual adjective
• unintellectually adverb

Etymology

Origin of intellectual

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin intellēctuālis, equivalent to intellēctu-, stem of intellēctus intellect + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Not surprisingly, established intellectual property — whether video games, known franchises, novels or comic books — still topped the charts this year, with nine of the top 10 domestic films tied to an existing title.

From Los Angeles Times

Podhoretz was an intellectual leader, a facilitator of other writers, and a major figure in what has come to be known as neoconservatism.

From The Wall Street Journal

We need the intellectual seriousness to treat this as an empirical question, not something we can settle with dogma.

From The Wall Street Journal

And celebrities with valuable intellectual property rights, such as copyrights from the Reiners’ many film and television properties, tend to establish trusts.

From Salon

The analyst added that the continuing bidding war for Warner Bros., and with it beloved characters such as Harry Potter and Superman, “highlights the true value of premium intellectual property.”

From Barron's

Related Words

• cerebral
• creative
• highbrow
• mental
• psychological
• rational
• scholarly
• thoughtful