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

Example Sentences

Davies, 62, recalled a time when fear around the virus was front and centre of public consciousness, as deaths dominated the headlines.

From BBC

Stoppard was known for elevating intellectual theater in the public consciousness and marrying intellectual depth and dramatic entertainment.

From The Wall Street Journal

He was quickly resuscitated and the subsequent operation went well, but the patient never recovered proper consciousness and died 17 days later.

From BBC

When she wakes up, she will regain consciousness more quickly and clearly because she required lower doses of anaesthetic drugs such as propofol and opioid painkillers than patients who heard no music.

From BBC

With everybody back Stateside and topside, save for Max’s consciousness, the band is gearing up for one last stand on the cliffs of Hell.

From Salon

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility