knowledge

[ nol-ij ]

noun

1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition:

   knowledge of many things.

2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning:

   A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.

3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report:

   a knowledge of human nature.

4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.

   Synonyms: scholarship, erudition, comprehension, discernment, understanding

5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance:

   He had knowledge of her good fortune.

6. something that is or may be known; information:

   He sought knowledge of her activities.

7. the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
8. the sum of what is known:

   Knowledge of the true situation is limited.

9. Archaic. sexual intercourse. Compare carnal knowledge.

adjective

1. creating, involving, using, or disseminating special knowledge or information:

   A computer expert can always find a good job in the knowledge industry.

knowledge

/ ˈnɒlɪdʒ /

noun

1. the facts, feelings or experiences known by a person or group of people
2. the state of knowing
3. awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning
4. erudition or informed learning
5. specific information about a subject
6. sexual intercourse (obsolete except in the legal phrase carnal knowledge )
7. come to one's knowledge
   to become known to one
8. to my knowledge
   1. as I understand it
   2. as I know
9. grow out of one's knowledge
   to behave in a presumptuous or conceited manner

Other Words From

• knowledge·less adjective
• pre·knowledge noun
• super·knowledge noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of knowledge¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English knouleche, equivalent to know(en) “to know” + -leche, perhaps akin to Old English -lāc suffix denoting action or practice, cognate with Old Norse (-)leikr; know ¹; wedlock

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to one's knowledge, according to the information available to one:

   To my knowledge he hasn't been here before.

More idioms and phrases containing knowledge

see little knowledge is a dangerous thing ; to the best of (one's knowledge) .

Synonym Study

See information.

Example Sentences

The Dodgers and pitcher Dustin May avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.135-million contract for next season, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

From Los Angeles Times

According to current knowledge, enhancers play a key role in this process.

From Science Daily

In one video, a migrant said: "Lorry route agreement with knowledge of the driver; here we have men, women and children - thank God the route was easy and good."

From BBC

"An influential idea in language development is that children can use their existing knowledge of language to learn more language," Aravind says.

From Science Daily

“Light and Vision” next explores illumination as knowledge.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ability
• awareness
• education
• expertise
• familiarity
• grasp
• insight
• intelligence
• judgment
• know-how
• learning
• observation
• philosophy
• power
• proficiency
• recognition
• science
• theory
• wisdom