insight

[ in-sahyt ]

noun

1. an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding:

   an insight into 18th-century life.

2. penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.

   Synonyms: grasp, understanding, intuition, apprehension, perception

3. Psychology.
   1. an understanding of relationships that sheds light on or helps solve a problem.
   2. (in psychotherapy) the recognition of sources of emotional difficulty.
   3. an understanding of the motivational forces behind one's actions, thoughts, or behavior; self-knowledge.

insight

/ ˈɪnˌsaɪt /

noun

1. the ability to perceive clearly or deeply; penetration
2. a penetrating and often sudden understanding, as of a complex situation or problem
3. psychol
   1. the capacity for understanding one's own or another's mental processes
   2. the immediate understanding of the significance of an event or action
4. psychiatry the ability to understand one's own problems, sometimes used to distinguish between psychotic and neurotic disorders

Derived Forms

• ˈinˌsightful, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insight¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; in- ¹( def ) + sight ( def )

Example Sentences

These devices and services have excited consumers hoping for better insight into their health and lifestyle choices.

From Los Angeles Times

However, Weaver says the new papers offer a critical insight for the field.

From Science Magazine

The novel insight is akin to moving from the maps of the 15th Century era of Joan of Arc and Richard III to what the phone in your pocket can load.

From BBC

The results provide insights into local lattice distortions associated with phase transitions and nanopore formation.

From Science Daily

A study at MedUni Vienna's Department of Dermatology provides insights into the diversity of cancer-associated fibroblasts in white and black skin cancer and describes their different immunomodulatory roles in the tumor environment.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• acumen
• intuition
• judgment
• observation
• understanding
• vision
• wisdom