apperceive
Americanverb (used with object)
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to have conscious perception of; comprehend.
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to comprehend (a new idea) by assimilation with the sum of one's previous knowledge and experience.
verb
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to be aware of perceiving
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psychol to comprehend by assimilating (a perception) to ideas already in the mind
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apperceive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English word from Old French word aperceivre. See ap- 1, perceive
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.
Ms. Hu said that this reaction improves the body's ability to perceive and defend itself against external threats.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
As Apple’s Siri delay drags on, its “Magnificent Seven” peers are embarking on a massive AI spending spree to build out data centers, leading some investors to perceive Apple as an AI laggard.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
Many cutting-edge technologies need ways to perceive their environment.
From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026
The two accidents, the company said, unfortunately illustrate that all driving, whether by humans alone or with technology, requires adequate time to perceive, classify, confirm and react to events.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
As genetics moved from a material to a mechanistic conception of genes—from what genes are to what they do—human biologists began to perceive long-sought connections between genes, human physiology, and pathology.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
