ENGLISH
REFERENCE

intelligence

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˌɪnˈtɛɫədʒəns// UK //ɪntˈɛlɪdʒəns// in·tel·li·gence Academic Archaic General-service

n. the ability to learn, understand, and think about things clearly. You use this word to talk about how smart someone or something is.

n. the capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity. Frequently modified to specify a domain, such as emotional or artificial.


SIMPLE

Dogs show a high level of intelligence when they learn new tricks.

CONTEXTUAL

The test is designed to measure a child's basic intelligence rather than their specific knowledge of school subjects.

COMPLEX

Researchers debate whether human intelligence is a single general ability or a collection of distinct cognitive skills that operate independently across different domains.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English intelligence, from Old French intelligence, from Latin intelligentia, which is from inter- (“between”) + legere (“to choose, pick out, read”), from Proto-Italic *legō (“to care”). Doublet of intelligentsia.

Usage

Uncountable in its primary cognitive sense; often modified by adjectives to specify a type, such as 'artificial' or 'emotional'.

Idioms1 entry

© 2026 English Reference