intelligence

UK: /ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒ^əns/ US: /ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/ ,(in tel′i jəns)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•tel•li•gence /ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/   n. [uncountable]

1. Psychology capacity for learning, reasoning, and understanding:
   Do computers have any intelligence?
2. mental alertness or quickness of understanding:
   writes with intelligence and wit.
3. Government, news received or given, esp. about an enemy.
4. Government an organization that gathers such information:
   military intelligence.

See -leg-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•tel•li•gence  (in tel′i jəns), n. 

1. Psychology capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity;
   aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.
2. manifestation of a high mental capacity:
   He writes with intelligence and wit.
3. the faculty of understanding.
4. Government knowledge of an event, circumstance, etc., received or imparted;
   news;
   information.
5. Government the gathering or distribution of information, esp. secret information.
6. Government
   • information about an enemy or a potential enemy.
   • the evaluated conclusions drawn from such information.
   • an organization or agency engaged in gathering such information:
     military intelligence; naval intelligence.
7. Government interchange of information:
   They have been maintaining intelligence with foreign agents for years.
8. Religion [Christian Science.] a fundamental attribute of God, or infinite Mind.
9. (often cap.) an intelligent being or spirit, esp. an incorporeal one, as an angel.

• Latin intelligentia. See intelligent, -ence
• Middle English 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. See mind. 
• 2. discernment, reason, acumen, aptitude, penetration.

Antonyms

• 2. stupidity.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

intelligence / ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/ noun

1. the capacity for understanding; ability to perceive and comprehend meaning
2. news; information
3. military information about enemies, spies, etc
4. a group or department that gathers or deals with such information
5. (often capital) an intelligent being, esp one that is not embodied
6. (modifier) of or relating to intelligence: an intelligence network

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin intellegentia, from intellegere to discern, comprehend, literally: choose between, from inter- + legere to choose

inˌtelliˈgential adjective