understanding

American  

[uhn-der-stan-ding] / ˌʌn dərˈstæn dɪŋ /

noun

1. mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation.

   My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.

2. intellectual faculties; intelligence; mind.

   a quick understanding.

3. superior power of discernment; enlightened intelligence.

   With her keen understanding she should have become a leader.

4. knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something.

   an understanding of accounting practice.

5. a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people.

   To him, understanding and goodwill were the supreme virtues.

6. a mutual agreement, especially of a private, unannounced, or tacit kind.

   They had an understanding about who would do the dishes.

7. an agreement regulating joint activity or settling differences, often informal or preliminary in character.

   After hours of negotiation, no understanding on a new contract was reached.

8. Philosophy.

   1. the power of abstract thought; logical power.

   2. Kantianism. the mental faculty resolving the sensory manifold into the transcendental unity of apperception.

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adjective

1. characterized by understanding; prompted by, based on, or demonstrating comprehension, intelligence, discernment, empathy, or the like.

   an understanding attitude.

understanding British  

/ ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. the ability to learn, judge, make decisions, etc; intelligence or sense

2. personal opinion or interpretation of a subject

   my understanding of your predicament

3. a mutual agreement or compact, esp an informal or private one

4. an unofficial engagement to be married

5. archaic philosophy the mind, esp the faculty of reason

6. with the condition that; providing

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adjective

1. sympathetic, tolerant, or wise towards people

2. possessing judgment and intelligence

Other Word Forms

• nonunderstanding adjective
• nonunderstandingly adverb
• self-understanding noun
• understandingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of understanding

First recorded before 1050; understand + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Wall Street investors will be focused on understanding how the change in leadership will impact monetary policy moving forward.

From BBC

The bottom-up understanding of the manager, strategy, and risk you’re taking and how that risk relates to other risks in your portfolio, is hugely important.

From Barron's

"There will be challenges, but we are counting on the tolerance and understanding of both citizens and businesses," said Jeliazkov.

From Barron's

After understanding the science behind it, she said, she was “absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself” after so many years of weathering public criticism about her weight.

From Los Angeles Times

As a result, Milos is now recognized as hosting one of the largest shallow to intermediate depth hydrothermal systems in the Mediterranean, significantly reshaping scientists' understanding of vent activity in this region.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• conclusion
• idea
• impression
• interpretation
• judgment
• knowledge
• meaning
• opinion
• perception
• sense
• sympathy
• view