percept

percept · noun¹

1. Classical Latin · learned borrowing fromperceptum“a proposition, principle, general idea”
2. English todaypercept

A learned borrowing, after concept, from Classical Latin perceptum (“a proposition, principle, general idea”), from the neuter of perceptus (“perceived”), the past participle of percipiō (“to perceive”); see perceive. Coined by the Scottish metaphysician Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet (1788–1856), in Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic, published posthumously in 1860 (see the quotation).

percept · verb²

1. Classical Latin · learned borrowing frompercept-
2. English todaypercept

Learned borrowing from Classical Latin percept-, the past participial stem of percipiō (“to perceive”). In etymology 2 sense 2, perhaps independently from percept (“something perceived”).

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. Something perceived; the object of perception.
• from 19th c. A perceived object as it exists in the mind of someone perceiving it; the mental impression that is the result of perceiving something.
• from 20th c. To make perceptible or distinct, to reveal.