consciousness

American  

[kon-shuhs-nis] / ˈkɒn ʃəs nɪs /

noun

1. the state of being conscious; awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.

2. the thoughts and feelings, collectively, of an individual or of an aggregate of people.

   the moral consciousness of a nation.

3. full activity of the mind and senses, as in waking life.

   to regain consciousness after fainting.

4. awareness of something for what it is; internal knowledge.

   consciousness of wrongdoing.

5. concern, interest, or acute awareness.

   class consciousness.

6. the mental activity of which a person is aware as contrasted with unconscious mental processes.

7. Philosophy. the mind or the mental faculties as characterized by thought, feelings, and volition.

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idioms

1. raise one's consciousness, to increase one's awareness and understanding of one's own needs, behavior, attitudes, etc., especially as a member of a particular social or political group.

Other Word Forms

• underconsciousness noun

Etymology

Origin of consciousness

First recorded in 1625–35; conscious + -ness

Explanation

When you are awake and aware of your surroundings, that's consciousness. There are different types of consciousness, including social consciousness, being aware of injustices in society. The early Latin word conscius meant "with knowing," but it meant a shared knowledge, a meaning that was retained through the 16th Century. John Locke was the first to describe consciousness in relation to the individual, referring to it as “the perception of what passes in a man’s own mind." If you lose consciousness during the performance, we'll wake you up with some smelling salts!

Example Sentences

‘I lost consciousness and I thought I died,’ she says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Their conversations moved from Gavalas’ ex-wife to an exploration of his interests, ranging from AI consciousness, to science fiction and nanotech.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Shares slid 2.5% to $231.25 on Friday as AI disruption fears crept into investor consciousness yet again.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Koch, who works at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and previously taught at MIT and Caltech, has played a major role in advancing the study of consciousness.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

Without regaining consciousness, Abraham Lincoln died the next morning.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility