to become aware of (something) through the senses, esp the sight; recognize or observe - (tr; may take a clause as object)
to come to comprehend; grasp
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
per•ceive /pɚˈsiv/USA pronunciation
v., -ceived, -ceiv•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- [not: be + ~-ing]
- to become aware of or identify by the senses:[~ + object]Some artists perceive very subtle differences in shade and tone.
- to recognize or understand: [~ + object]I perceive difficulties in putting your idea into practice.[~ + that clause]He perceived that there would be difficulties.
per•ceive
(pər sēv′),USA pronunciation v.t., -ceived, -ceiv•ing.
per•ceiv•ed•ly
(pər sē′vid lē, -sēvd′-),USA pronunciation adv.
per•ceiv′ed•ness, n.
per•ceiv′er, n.
per•ceiv′ing•ness, n.
- to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses:I perceived an object looming through the mist.
- to recognize, discern, envision, or understand:I perceive a note of sarcasm in your voice. This is a nice idea but I perceive difficulties in putting it into practice.
- Latin percipere to lay hold of, grasp, equivalent. to per- per- + -cipere, combining form of capere to take
- Anglo-French *perceivre, for perçoivre
- 1250–1300; Middle English perceiven
per•ceiv′er, n.
per•ceiv′ing•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged note, discover, observe, descry, distinguish. See notice.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'perceive' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
achromate
- aesthete
- aesthetics
- apperceive
- apprehend
- baragnosis
- barognosis
- blind
- catch
- choice
- cognize
- commonality
- comprehend
- comprehension
- conspicuous
- cotton on
- delicate
- descry
- detect
- diagnosis
- dichromatic
- difference
- differentiate
- discern
- dissent
- distinguish
- divine
- ear-minded
- espy
- eye-minded
- feel
- find
- forefeel
- hang
- haptics
- hard
- hear
- humor
- humorous
- insight
- intelligence
- ken
- know
- lose
- make out
- meaning
- mind
- misperceive
- miss
- monochromatism