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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Synonym Usage

See intelligent.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Explanation

The adjective intellectual describes something related to or using the mind or intellect. Your creative pursuit of singing in a rock band is different from your intellectual interest in 16th-century drama. Intellectual is often used to describe intensive reasoning and deep thinking, particularly in relation to subjects that tend to spark deep discussion, such as literature or philosophy. An intellectual is also a noun for a cerebral or brainy person who engages in deep thinking, like Plato, Albert Einstein, or your classmate who can speak at length about the relationship between French existentialism and ice hockey.

Example Sentences

Instead of manufacturing the processors themselves, Arm designs the blueprints and licenses its intellectual property to tech companies.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The aim is to help these companies attract price capital, compete globally, retain talent and intellectual property and remain anchored in Canada, the government said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The studio has released games based on Uno, Skip-Bo and other Mattel intellectual property.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Barrow also had his account suspended by Facebook on the grounds he was violating intellectual property rules.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

You know, when I won the World Championship in 1972, the United States had an image of a football country, a baseball country, but nobody thought of it as an intellectual country.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

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