intellectual

in-tel-lec-tu-al · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    (Adjective) Relating to or involving the intellect or mental activity; requiring deep thought.

  2. 2.

    (Adjective) Having a highly developed intellect; fond of intellectual activities.

  3. 3.

    (Noun) A person who engages in critical thinking and academic pursuits; a thinker or scholar.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    intellectual property — creations of the mind protected by law
  • •
    intellectual curiosity — a strong desire to learn and understand
  • •
    public intellectual — a scholar who addresses public issues

Related words

Antonyms: emotional, physical
See also: academic, intellect, scholar
Synonyms: cerebral, cognitive, scholarly

Etymology

From Latin intellectualis, from intellectus ("perception, understanding"). The noun sense developed in the early 19th century to describe people devoted to intellectual pursuits.