perception
n. C / Un. the way you think about or understand someone or something. It can also mean your ability to notice things using your senses, like seeing or hearing.
n. the way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted. It also describes the physiological process of becoming aware of the environment through the senses.
The public perception of the company changed after the scandal.
Because of his quiet nature, people often have the false perception that he is unfriendly or arrogant.
The philosopher argued that human perception is inherently flawed, as our brains actively construct reality from limited sensory inputs rather than passively recording the outside world.
From Middle English percepcioun, from Middle French percepcion, from Latin perceptiō (“a receiving or collecting, perception, comprehension”), from perceptus (“perceived, observed”), perfect passive participle of percipiō (“to perceive, observe”); see perceive.
Takes the preposition 'of' to indicate the object being perceived. Uncountable when referring to the general sensory ability; countable when referring to specific viewpoints or beliefs.