intellect

What it means

1. uncountableThe faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.

   Intellect is one of man's greatest powers.

   Synonyms: brain, brains, cleverness, head, brightness, esprit, intelligence, mind

2. uncountableThe capacity of that faculty (in a particular person).

   They were chosen because of their outstanding intellect.

   1 more example

   Arms of stripes and shirts of checks / You had a very nice intellect

   1983, “Intelligence”, in Shiver, performed by Virna Lindt

3. countableuncountableA person who has that faculty to a great degree.

   Some of the world's leading intellects were meeting there.

   Synonyms: intellectual

In a sentence

Intellect is one of man's greatest powers.

Where it comes from

1. Latinintellegō“understand; reason”
2. Late Latinintellēctus“understanding, intellect”
3. Englishintellect

Borrowed from Late Latin intellēctus (“understanding, intellect”), from Latin intellegō (“understand; reason”), from inter (“between, among”) + legō (“read”), with connotation of bind.