intellect

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪntəlɛkt/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

intellect (countable and uncountable, plural intellects)

1. the faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty (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.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), perfect passive participle of Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.tɛ.lɛkt/, /ɛ̃.te.lɛkt/

Noun

intellect m (plural intellects)

1. (psychology, philosophy) intellect

Further reading

• “intellect” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).