intellect

[ in-tl-ekt ]

noun

1. the power or faculty of the mind by which one knows or understands, as distinguished from that by which one feels and that by which one wills; the understanding; the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge.

   Synonyms: common sense, sense, reason

2. capacity for thinking and acquiring knowledge, especially of a high or complex order; mental capacity.
3. a particular mind or intelligence, especially of a high order.
4. a person possessing a great capacity for thought and knowledge.
5. minds collectively, as of a number of persons or the persons themselves.

intellect

/ ˈɪntɪˌlɛkt /

noun

1. the capacity for understanding, thinking, and reasoning, as distinct from feeling or wishing
2. a mind or intelligence, esp a brilliant one

   his intellect is wasted on that job

3. informal.
   a person possessing a brilliant mind; brain
4. those possessing the greatest mental power

   the intellect of a nation

Derived Forms

• ˌintelˈlective, adjective
• ˌintelˈlectively, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of intellect¹

1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin intellēctus, equivalent to intelleg(ere) “to understand” + -tus suffix of verbal action; intelligent

Word History and Origins

Origin of intellect¹

C14: from Latin intellectus comprehension, intellect, from intellegere to understand; see intelligence

Synonym Study

See mind.

Example Sentences

Despite that, FDR was disdained by former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. as having “a second-class intellect, but a first-class temperament.”

From Los Angeles Times

This suggests yet another reason to get the vaccine: It may protect your intellect.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Apprentice” is a dark comedy and drama that shows us what happens when our darkest desires, tempered by amorality, grim determination, a substandard intellect and greed all converge into a real-life Shakespearian tragedy.

From Salon

“Wherever one might turn, Rasha’s keen intellect and tireless spirit have been woven into every thread of our progress,” the email said.

From Los Angeles Times

Even the one blockbuster that’s already locked for a best picture nomination, Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two,” stands as daring cinema, its spectacle aiming for both the gut and the intellect.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ability
• acumen
• genius
• intelligence
• intuition
• judgment
• savvy