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DictionaryRoot: legere
Latin

legere

gather, choose; read

Forms

  • leg-
  • lect- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘gathered’ or ‘chosen.’
  • -lig- — Used in some Latin compounds.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *leg-, ‘gather; collect.’

Note

The sense ‘read’ grew from older senses of gathering and selecting.

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noun

intelligence

in-TEL-ih-juhns/ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/

The ability to learn, understand, and reason.

Her intelligence helps her solve unfamiliar problems quickly and accurately.

An older woman solves a nonverbal pattern puzzle, selecting the missing tile by recognizing and combining the visible shape and color rules.
Etymology
intelLatinbetween, among
+ligLatingather, choose; read
+enceLatina state or quality

“Picking out between” gives the underlying idea of discernment: recognizing distinctions and understanding them. The noun names this power of understanding, the central connection to learning and applying knowledge.

In context

Real Science11:22
in humans intelligence is commonly defined as the ability to think abstractly understand communicate problem solve learn form memories and plan actions
The Insane Biology of: The Octopus

More examples

  • The puzzle tests intelligence, not knowledge of obscure facts.
  • He shows great intelligence when he explains difficult ideas simply.
  • Intelligence alone does not guarantee good decisions.

Forms

intelligent adjective — Able to learn, understand, and reason.

intelligently adverb — In a way that shows good reasoning.

Similar words

intellect
Intellect emphasizes reasoning and abstract thought rather than learning generally.
understanding
Understanding emphasizes grasping meaning rather than overall mental capacity.