intellectual
adj. · n.-
1 related to the mind (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediaterelated to your ability to think, understand, and learn rather than your feelings or physical skills.
relating to the intellect or the cognitive processes of the mind, often contrasted with emotional or physical experience.
ExampleThe child showed great intellectual curiosity and was always asking how things worked.
ExampleThe professor argued that the student's intellectual development was far more significant than their performance on standardized tests.
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2 requiring deep thought (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatedescribing something that needs serious thought or study to understand.
appealing to or requiring the use of the intellect; characterized by a high level of complexity or abstraction.
ExampleThey spent the evening having an intellectual discussion about history and politics.
ExampleThe documentary provides an intellectual challenge to the audience, forcing them to reconsider their assumptions about modern economics.
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3 a person (n.) C1 Advanced Formala person who spends a lot of time thinking about complicated ideas and academic subjects.
a person who engages in critical study, thought, and reflection about the reality of society.
ExampleThe city was a meeting place for artists and intellectuals during the 1920s.
ExamplePublic intellectuals often play a crucial role in shaping national discourse by translating complex academic theories into accessible social critiques.
From Old French intellectuel, from Latin intellectualis.
- Adjectiveintellectual
- Adverbintellectually