perception

[ per-sep-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or faculty of perceiving, or apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; understanding.

   Synonyms: awareness, recognition, sense

2. immediate or intuitive recognition or appreciation, as of moral, psychological, or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition; discernment:

   an artist of rare perception.

3. the result or product of perceiving, as distinguished from the act of perceiving; percept.
4. Psychology. a single unified awareness derived from sensory processes while a stimulus is present.
5. Law. the taking into possession of rents, crops, profits, etc.

perception

/ pəˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the act or the effect of perceiving
2. insight or intuition gained by perceiving
3. the ability or capacity to perceive
4. way of perceiving; awareness or consciousness; view

   advertising affects the customer's perception of a product

5. the process by which an organism detects and interprets information from the external world by means of the sensory receptors
6. law the collection, receipt, or taking into possession of rents, crops, etc

Derived Forms

• perˈceptional, adjective

Other Words From

• per·ception·al adjective
• nonper·ception noun
• nonper·ception·al adjective
• reper·ception noun
• self-per·ception noun
• unper·ception·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perception¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English percepcioun, from Old French percepcïon, from Latin perceptiōn-, stem of perceptiō “comprehension,” literally, “a taking in”; percept, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of perception¹

C15: from Latin perceptiō comprehension; see perceive

Example Sentences

Ferguson that racial separation did not impose inequality and that any perception of inferiority among Black Americans was a result of their own faulty thinking.

From Salon

Mr Rolston said "branding logic" suggests companies "lean into" their current perception with the public, but Jaguar appears to have shunned that.

From BBC

Less well-known is that oxytocin can also affect pain perception.

From Science Daily

While the report found negative trends in Muslim students’ perceptions of their place on campuses, it’s data are limited.

From Los Angeles Times

But the film itself steers clear of overt politics, focusing instead on the media’s role in covering real-time crises and shaping public perception.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• approach
• attention
• attitude
• awareness
• concept
• consciousness
• feeling
• image
• impression
• judgment
• knowledge
• notion
• opinion
• recognition
• sense
• taste
• thought
• viewpoint