nous

American  

[noos, nous] / nus, naʊs /

noun

1. Greek Philosophy. mind or intellect.

2. Philosophy. (inNeoplatonism ) the first and purest emanation of the One, regarded as the self-contemplating order of the universe.

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nous British  

/ naʊs /

noun

1. metaphysics mind or reason, esp when regarded as the principle governing all things

2. slang common sense; intelligence

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Etymology

Origin of nous

First recorded in 1670–80; from Greek noûs, contracted variant of nóos “mind”

Explanation

In philosophy, nous is the mind's ability to clearly understand what is true. You might think of nous as reason or intellect. The exact definition of nous varies, depending on whether you're talking to a philosopher, historian, or religious thinker. In Christianity, the nous is the mind, as distinguished from the soul. You can also think of this as the distinction between thinking and feeling. Classic philosophy defines nous as the part of a person's mind that allows them to think rationally and understand. During the 18th century, nous was briefly popular as college slang for "wit or cleverness."

Example Sentences

The athletes are required to employ all their technical nous to transition efficiently, stripping off reusable 'skins' that give their skis grip for climbing so they can freely ski down two descents.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

But Cardona Coll showed all his experience to fight back and surge into the lead in an astonishing display of stamina and technical nous on the transition.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Spanish world number one Alcaraz struggled in the opening exchanges as 38-year-old Djokovic used his nous to dominate his younger opponent.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2026

Political nous is the most important box to tick, Toms said, because CEO Elhedery—previously the bank’s chief financial officer—is seen more as a numbers whiz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

“Je suis désolé, mais nous comptons sur des lanternes.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse