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intellect - 6 dictionary results

in⋅tel⋅lect

  [in-tl-ekt]
Use intellect in a Sentence
–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.
2. capacity for thinking and acquiring knowledge, esp. of a high or complex order; mental capacity.
3. a particular mind or intelligence, esp. 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.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L intellēctus, equiv. to intelleg(ere) to understand + -tus suffix of v. action; see intelligent

Synonyms:
1. reason, sense, common sense, brains. See mind.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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in·tel·lect   (ĭn'tl-ěkt')   
n.  
    1. The ability to learn and reason; the capacity for knowledge and understanding.
    2. The ability to think abstractly or profoundly. See Synonyms at mind.
  2. A person of great intellectual ability.

[Middle English, from Old French intellecte, from Latin intellēctus, perception, from past participle of intellegere, to perceive; see intelligent.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Intellect

In"tel*lect\, n. [L. intellectus, fr. intelligere, intellectum, to understand: cf. intellect. See Intelligent.] (Metaph.) The part or faculty of the human soul by which it knows, as distinguished from the power to feel and to will; sometimes, the capacity for higher forms of knowledge, as distinguished from the power to perceive objects in their relations; the power to judge and comprehend; the thinking faculty; the understanding.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : intellect
Spanish: intelecto,
German: der Verstand,
Japanese: 知性
More Translations »

intellect 
c.1386, from L. intellectus "discernment, understanding," from pp. stem of intelligere "to understand, discern" (see intelligence). The noun use of intellectual for persons is from 1652.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: in·tel·lect
Pronunciation: 'int-&l-"ekt
Function: noun
1 : the power of knowing as distinguished from thepower to feel and to will : the capacity for knowledge
2 : the capacity for rational or intelligent thought —in·tel·lec·tu·al /"int-&l-'ek-ch(&-w)&l, -'eksh-w&l/ adjective —in·tel·lec·tu·al·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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INTELLECT language
A query language written by Larry Harris in 1977, close to natural English.
(1995-04-14)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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