intellect

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

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

   Intellect is one of man's greatest powers.

2. 2
   noun

   The capacity of that faculty (in a particular person).

   They were chosen because of their outstanding intellect.

3. 3
   noun

   A person who has that faculty to a great degree.

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

4. 4
   noun

   knowledge and intellectual ability

5. 5
   noun

   the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination

6. 6
   noun

   a person who uses the mind creatively

Etymology

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