consciousness

[ kon-shuhs-nis ]

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.

Other Words From

• under·conscious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of consciousness¹

First recorded in 1625–35; conscious + -ness

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

Terrified, he took her head in his hands and tried to bring her back to consciousness.

From Salon

However, after bending over to pick up his cap, he collapsed and never regained consciousness.

From BBC

It’s really a question about consciousness and reality.

From Salon

The journal Royal Society Open Science published a survey of 100 researchers of animal behavior, providing a unique view of current scientific thought on animal emotions and consciousness.

From Science Daily

Ms Simpson was admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital where she died six days later, having never regained consciousness.

From BBC

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility