intellect

English

Etymology

From Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), perfect passive participle of intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind.

Pronunciation

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Noun

intellect (countable and uncountable; plural intellects)

1. the faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding (uncountable)

   Intellect is one of man's greatest powers.

2. the capacity of that faculty (in a particular person) (uncountable)

   They were chosen because of their outstanding intellect.

3. a person who has that faculty to a great degree

   Some of the world's leading intellects were meeting there.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:intelligence

Related terms

• intellectual
• intellectualism
• intellectualize
• intelligence
• intelligent
• intelligentsia
• intelligible

Translations

The faculty of knowing and reasoning; understanding

Armenian: բանականություն (hy) (banakanut’yun), խելք (hy) (xelk’) Finnish: järki (fi), äly (fi) German: Intellekt (de) m.

Portuguese: intelecto (pt) m. Romanian: intelect (ro) m. Spanish: intelecto (es) m.

That faculty in a particular person

Armenian: խելք (hy) (xelk’)

Portuguese: intelecto (pt) m. Romanian: intelect (ro) m.

A person who has that faculty in great degree

Finnish: älykkö (fi), ajattelija (fi)

Portuguese: intelectual (pt) m. and f. Romanian: intelectual (ro) m., intelectuală (ro) f.

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Japanese: 知性（ちせい, chisei）、思考力（しこうりょく, shikou ryoku）

See also

• mind