Added 29 September 2026
understanding
/ʌndəˈstandɪŋ/ noun
In Latin: sciens, intellegens, videns Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about understanding at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
The act of one that understands or comprehends; the mental process of discernment of meaning.
There are certain things that defy human understanding.
-
Reason or intelligence; ability to grasp the full meaning of knowledge; ability to infer.
She has a solid understanding of particle physics.
-
Opinion, judgement, or outlook.
According to my understanding, the situation is quite perilous. I wonder if you see it this way, too.
adjective
-
Showing compassion, tolerance, and forbearance; sympathetically aware.
(Can we add an example for this sense?)
- Knowing; skilful.
verb
- present participle and gerund of understand
Origin
From Middle English understandinge, understondinge, from Old English understanding (“intelligence, understanding”), from Proto-West Germanic *undarstandingu, from Proto-Germanic *understandingō, equivalent to understand + -ing (gerund ending). Cognate with Middle Dutch onderstaninge, Middle Low German understandinge, Middle High German understandunge.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)