Word
intellectual
Phoneticsin·tel·lec·tu·al, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɪnəˈɫɛktʃuəɫ/
UK/ˌɪntəlˈɛktʃuːəl/
Definitions
01related to the mind
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. related to your ability to think, understand, and learn rather than your feelings or physical skills.
adj. relating to the intellect or the cognitive processes of the mind, often contrasted with emotional or physical experience.
“The child showed great intellectual curiosity and was always asking how things worked.”
“The professor argued that the student's intellectual development was far more significant than their performance on standardized tests.”
02requiring deep thought
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing something that needs serious thought or study to understand.
adj. appealing to or requiring the use of the intellect; characterized by a high level of complexity or abstraction.
“They spent the evening having an intellectual discussion about history and politics.”
“The documentary provides an intellectual challenge to the audience, forcing them to reconsider their assumptions about modern economics.”
03a person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a person who spends a lot of time thinking about complicated ideas and academic subjects.
n. a person who engages in critical study, thought, and reflection about the reality of society.
“The city was a meeting place for artists and intellectuals during the 1920s.”
“Public intellectuals often play a crucial role in shaping national discourse by translating complex academic theories into accessible social critiques.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “intellectual” in context.
Verb
01. challenge intellectual abilities
“Solving complex puzzles is a great way to challenge your intellectual abilities.”
verb + adj + noun
02. foster intellectual growth
“The university aims to foster intellectual growth by encouraging students to question everything.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
03. highly intellectual
“The professor's lectures are highly intellectual and can be difficult for beginners to follow.”
adv + adj
04. purely intellectual
“Their debate was purely intellectual, with no personal feelings involved in the argument.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. intellectual property
“The company filed a lawsuit to protect its intellectual property from being copied by competitors.”
adj + noun
06. intellectual capacity
“The exam is designed to test a student's intellectual capacity rather than just their memory.”
adj + noun
07. intellectual curiosity
“A good scientist must possess a great deal of intellectual curiosity about how the world works.”
adj + noun
08. intellectual stimulation
“She changed jobs because she felt she wasn't getting enough intellectual stimulation in her old role.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“People living with severe intellectual disabilities are dying 24 years younger on average than the wider population, a study has found, with 40% of such deaths being avoidable.” “This study is interesting from an intellectual perspective, but the researchers also show that it might be useful.” “The NCAA has a long history of opposing college athletes profiting from their intellectual property.” Etymology
From Old French intellectuel, from Latin intellectualis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/intellectual