knowledge
Americannoun
-
acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition.
knowledge of many things.
-
familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning.
A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
-
acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report.
a knowledge of human nature.
-
the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
- Synonyms:
- scholarship, erudition, comprehension, discernment, understanding
-
awareness, as of a fact or circumstance.
He had knowledge of her good fortune.
-
something that is or may be known; information.
He sought knowledge of her activities.
-
the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
-
the sum of what is known.
Knowledge of the true situation is limited.
-
Archaic. sexual intercourse.
adjective
idioms
noun
-
the facts, feelings or experiences known by a person or group of people
-
the state of knowing
-
awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning
-
erudition or informed learning
-
specific information about a subject
-
sexual intercourse (obsolete except in the legal phrase carnal knowledge )
-
to become known to one
-
-
as I understand it
-
as I know
-
-
to behave in a presumptuous or conceited manner
Related Words
See information.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of knowledge
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English knouleche, equivalent to know(en) “to know” + -leche, perhaps akin to Old English -lāc suffix denoting action or practice, cognate with Old Norse (-)leikr; see know 1; cf. wedlock
Explanation
Why do you go to school? For knowledge, of course. To have knowledge means to know or be aware of things. Knowledge is understanding gained through learning or experience. You read a recipe to gain knowledge about baking rhubarb pie. When it burns in the oven, experience gives you the knowledge that you need to stop doing three things at once. Fields like biology, math, art, medicine, and others have huge bodies of knowledge. Knowledge can mean information and also deeper understanding. You can use this word as a disclaimer too, as in "To my knowledge, my sister walked the dog."
Vocabulary lists containing knowledge
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
President Obama's second inaugural address
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"A Contest of Riddles"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Kosova’s 80-year-old neighbor on Tychyna Avenue, Nila Molchaniuk, said her family puts up with such threats in the knowledge that things are much tougher on the front line.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
“Without having a little bit of knowledge about how the chorizo is made, you can’t be the head chef of the kitchen,” Hernandez said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Kendrick Lamar’s hatred of Drake is common knowledge regardless of whether you own either rapper’s albums.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
"Te Arikinui affirmed her belief in the power of indigenous knowledge and intergenerational stewardship to help solve the world's environmental and social challenges."
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Besides my mom, she probably knew me better than anyone in the world, and then…all that love and trust and knowledge.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
