intelligent
intelligent
Pronunciation
The word intelligent is a common adjective used to describe the capacity for thought, reasoning, and understanding.
Phonetic Breakdown
IPA Spelling: /ɪnˈtel.ɪ.dʒənt/
Syllable Breakdown
in- (/ɪn/): Short "i" sound followed by the alveolar nasal "n."
-tel- (/ˈtel/): This is the stressed syllable. It features the "t" sound, a short "e" sound, and the liquid "l."
-li- (/ɪ/): A short, unstressed "i" sound.
-gent (/dʒənt/): Starts with the "j" sound (affricate), followed by a schwa (neutral vowel), and ends with the "nt" consonant cluster.
Word Form Variations
Adjective: Intelligent (The base form)
Adverb: Intelligently
Noun: Intelligence (The state of being intelligent)
Comparative: More intelligent
Superlative: Most intelligent
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition: Possessing a high capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, and emotional knowledge. It describes someone or something that can process information and apply it to solve problems or adapt to new situations. In a modern context, it also refers to machines or software capable of performing tasks that typically require human cognition.
Synonyms: Astute, bright, perceptive, brilliant, sharp-witted.
Antonyms: Unintelligent, foolish, obtuse, dim-witted.
Adverb (Intelligently)
Definition: Performing an action in a manner that shows good judgment, high mental capacity, or strategic planning. It suggests that a choice or movement was made based on reasoning rather than impulse.
Synonyms: Wisely, shrewdly, capably, sensibly.
Antonyms: Ignorantly, irrationally, thoughtlessly, foolishly.
Noun (Intelligence)
Definition: The inherent ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. It is the mental quality that consists of the abilities to learn from experience, adapt to new situations, and handle abstract concepts. It can also refer to the collection of secret information, particularly of military or political value.
Synonyms: Intellect, acumen, brainpower, wit, information.
Antonyms: Stupidity, ignorance, inanity.
Examples of Use
Here are several real-world examples of the word intelligent as it appears across literature, journalism, entertainment, and public discourse.
Literature and Books
"The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell." (Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace)
"It is the mark of an intelligent mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." (Attributed to Aristotle)
"He was an intelligent man, but he was a man who had been educated beyond his capacity for thought." (J.B. Priestley, An Inspector Calls)
Journalism and Online Publications
"The search for intelligent life beyond Earth has shifted from looking for radio signals to searching for 'technosignatures' left by advanced civilizations." (National Geographic, October 2023)
"The report argues that the implementation of intelligent traffic management systems could reduce urban congestion by up to 20 percent." (The New York Times, May 2022)
"The distinction between a 'smart' device and an intelligent one lies in the machine's ability to learn from user behavior without explicit programming." (Wired, August 2021)
Entertainment and Platforms
In the film The Imitation Game, the protagonist discusses the possibility of creating an intelligent machine that can pass the "Turing Test."
"Is there any intelligent life on this planet?" (Commonly used catchphrase in science fiction media, notably popularized in various iterations of Star Trek and Doctor Who)
Video game reviews often praise "highly intelligent AI" when non-player characters exhibit complex tactical behaviors rather than following simple patterns. (IGN, November 2023)
General Public Discourse
During legislative debates regarding education reform, proponents often argue for "the intelligent allocation of resources" to ensure that funding follows student performance.
In the tech industry, "business intelligent tools" are frequently discussed as the primary method for translating raw data into actionable corporate strategy.
"I think we need to have an intelligent conversation about climate change that moves past partisan talking points and focuses on engineering solutions." (Common phrasing used in televised panel discussions and town halls)
10 Quotes Using Intelligent
"I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing." (Socrates)
"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." (Stephen Hawking)
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex; it takes a touch of genius to move in the opposite direction." (E. F. Schumacher)
"Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution." (Aristotle)
"The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt." (Bertrand Russell)
"There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them." (George Orwell)
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools." (Ernest Hemingway)
"The sign of an intelligent people is their ability to control their emotions by the application of reason." (Marya Mannes)
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." (Bill Watterson)
"All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
Etymology
The word intelligent has its roots in the Latin language, and its history is essentially a story about the ability to sort through information to find the truth.
Latin Origins
The word comes from the Latin verb intelligere, which means "to understand," "to perceive," or "to come to know." This Latin verb is a combination of two smaller parts:
inter-: Meaning "between" or "among."
legere: Meaning "to choose," "to gather," or "to read."
In its most literal, ancient sense, to be intelligent was to have the ability to "choose between." It described someone who could look at a variety of options or a mess of information and successfully pick out (gather) the relevant parts to make sense of them.
First Use and Evolution
The specific adjective form intelligent first appeared in the English language in the early 1500s (specifically around 1508).
Earliest Meaning: When it first entered English, it was used to describe someone who was "discerning" or "appreciative." It was essentially a way to say a person was capable of deep understanding or had a high mental capacity.
Shift in Tone: Before "intelligent" became common, English speakers often used the word "reasonable." As the centuries progressed, the term shifted from a purely philosophical idea of "reason" to a more psychological description of "mental power" and the ability to adapt to one's environment.
Related Terms
It is closely related to the noun intelligence, which actually entered the English language a bit earlier (late 14th century). Originally, "intelligence" referred to the "highest faculty of the mind," but by the mid-1400s, it also took on the meaning of "news" or "information received." This is why we still use the word today for "secret intelligence" in government or military contexts.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Intelligent
The word intelligent is often used in technical and academic collocations, while its synonyms drive most idiomatic expressions related to mental capacity.
Phrases Using "Intelligent"
Intelligent design: The belief that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than an undirected process.
Intelligent life: A term typically used in astronomy and science fiction to refer to extraterrestrial civilizations with cognitive abilities similar to or greater than humans.
Intelligent conversation: A discussion that is substantive, thought-provoking, and characterized by logical reasoning.
Intelligent agent: In computer science, an autonomous entity which observes through sensors and acts upon an environment to achieve goals.
Intelligent guess: A prediction or estimate based on experience and logic rather than random chance; often synonymous with an "educated guess."
Idioms Using Synonyms
Sharp as a tack: Used to describe someone who is exceptionally intelligent, quick-witted, and mentally alert.
A walking encyclopedia: Refers to an intelligent person who possesses an immense amount of factual knowledge on many subjects.
Bright spark: A British idiom for a clever or intelligent person (sometimes used sarcastically to describe someone who has done something foolish).
Smart cookie: A common American idiom for a person who is very intelligent and resilient, especially in difficult situations.
Have a head on one's shoulders: Describes a person who is intelligent, practical, and capable of making sound decisions.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of intelligent from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
