Origin: 1500–10; <
Latin intelligent- (stem of
intelligēns, present participle of
intelligere, variant of
intellegere to understand, literally, choose between), equivalent to
intel- (variant of
inter- inter-) +
-lig- (combining form of
leg-, stem of
legere to pick up, choose; cf.
lection) +
-ent- -ent Related forms in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
hy·per·in·tel·li·gent, adjective
hy·per·in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
non·in·tel·li·gent, adjective
non·in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
pre·in·tel·li·gent, adjective
pre·in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
qua·si-in·tel·li·gent, adjective
qua·si-in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
sem·i-in·tel·li·gent, adjective
sem·i-in·tel·li·gent·ly, adverb
su·per·in·tel·li·gent, adjective
Synonyms1. bright.
Intelligent, intellectual describe distinctive mental capacity.
Intelligent often suggests a natural quickness of understanding:
an intelligent reader. Intellectual implies not only having a high degree of understanding, but also a capacity and taste for the higher forms of knowledge:
intellectual interests. 2. astute, clever, alert, bright, apt, discerning, shrewd, smart. See
sharp.
Antonyms
1, 2. stupid.