intellect
intellect
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling for "intellect"
IPA: /ˈɪntəlekt/
Syllable Breakdown:
in-: /ɪn-/
/ɪ/ - short "i" sound as in "bit"
/n/ - nasal "n" sound
tel-: /tɛl-/
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
/ɛ/ - "epsilon" vowel, a mid-open front unrounded vowel
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral liquid
lect: /lekt/
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral liquid
/ɛ/ - "epsilon" vowel
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
Word Form Variations
Intellect is a noun, and its word form variations are primarily related to number (singular or plural).
Singular: intellect
Plural: intellects
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The ability to think, reason, and understand; mental sharpness or acuity.
Synonyms: mind, brain, intelligence, wit, acumen, sagacity
Antonyms: stupidity, ignorance, foolishness
Adjective
Definition: Showing or possessing great intelligence or mental ability.
Synonyms: intelligent, clever, bright, sharp, astute, canny
Antonyms: stupid, foolish, ignorant, dull, obtuse
Verb (rare use)
Definition: To engage in intellectual activity; to think deeply or thoughtfully.
Synonyms: ponder, contemplate, deliberate, cogitate
Antonyms: neglect, ignore, dismiss, disregard
Examples of Use
Books
"The intellect is the faculty that perceives, judges, and reasons." (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica)
"The intellect is the organ of truth." (George Santayana, The Life of Reason)
Newspapers
"Her intellect and wit made her a formidable opponent in debates." (The New York Times)
"The article praised the politician's sharp intellect and ability to connect with voters." (The Washington Post)
Online Publications
"The website offers a forum for intellectual discussion on a wide range of topics." (Medium)
"The blog post argued that AI will eventually surpass human intellect." (The Conversation)
Entertainment
Television: In the TV show "The Big Bang Theory," the characters are portrayed as highly intelligent individuals with exceptional intellects.
Movies: The film "Good Will Hunting" features a young man with extraordinary mathematical intellect.
Video Games: Many video games require players to use their intellect to solve puzzles and overcome challenges.
General Public Discourse
"She's a woman of great intellect and has made significant contributions to her field." (Conversation among friends)
"The debate over the future of AI raises questions about the limits of human intellect." (Public lecture)
Social Media
"I'm so impressed by the intellect of the people I follow on Twitter." (Tweet)
"I'm looking for a book club that values intellectual discussion." (Facebook post)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Intellect
"Intellect is invisible to the man who has none."
— Arthur Schopenhauer"Intellect distinguishes between the possible and the impossible; reason distinguishes between the sensible and the senseless."
— Max Born"The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you."
— Albert Einstein"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."
— F. Scott Fitzgerald"Strength of intellect is only as valuable as the strength of your character."
— Anonymous"The only means of strengthening one’s intellect is to make up one’s mind about nothing—to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts."
— John Keats"Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as to think."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson"Intellect is to emotion what a car is to gasoline: without fuel, the car cannot move."
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb"An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself."
— Albert Camus"Intellect is the slave of appetite, and there is no virtue in it unless it obeys the truth."
— C.S. Lewis
Etymology
Intellect comes from the Latin word intellectus, which means "understanding" or "perception." This Latin word was formed from the verb intelligere, meaning "to understand" or "to perceive."
Intelligere is a combination of two Latin words:
inter - meaning "between" or "among"
legere - meaning "to choose" or "to pick out"
So, intelligere essentially means "to choose out" or "to pick out the meaning" from something. This idea of "choosing out" or "picking out" meaning is the core of what "intellect" represents.
The first known use of "intellect" in English dates back to the late 14th century, where it was used to describe the ability to understand or perceive things.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Intellect
Related Phrases:
Sharp mind: A person with a quick and intelligent mind.
Quick wit: Someone who is able to think and respond quickly and intelligently.
High IQ: A person with a high intelligence quotient.
Mental acuity: The ability to think clearly and quickly.
Intellectual prowess: Great mental ability or power.
Idioms with Similar Meanings:
Brainpower: Intellectual ability or capacity.
Sharp as a tack: Very intelligent or witty.
A mind like a steel trap: A very sharp and intelligent mind.
A brain for business: A good head for business affairs.
A sharp cookie: A very intelligent person.
While these phrases and idioms don't directly use "intellect," they capture the essence of the word and its connotations.
Posts Related to Intellect
Source Information
Definition of intellect from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
