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

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

A monetary framework that lets falling production costs show up as lower prices for consumers, rather than offsetting them with compensating stimulus, has intellectual support and is worth discussing.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

One of her first in-house roles was at Walt Disney U.K., where she protected the entertainment giant’s intellectual property as vice president of legal and government affairs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Mattel also has valuable intellectual property that could interest large media companies, Southeastern said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

The writer bashes imaginary feminists who supposedly tell women that caring about appearance is “some kind of intellectual failure.”

From Salon • May 8, 2026

The intellectual apparatus of the new science—facts, experiments, theories, laws of nature, evidence—did not establish its worth by philosophical arguments; its success depended upon the fact that, in practice, it produced good results.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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