Added 8 October 2026
intellect
/ˈɪntəlɛkt/ noun
In Latin: intellectus Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about intellect at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.
Intellect is one of man's greatest powers.
-
The capacity of that faculty (in a particular person).
They were chosen because of their outstanding intellect.
-
A person who has that faculty to a great degree.
Some of the world's leading intellects were meeting there.
Origin
Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), from Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)