cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈni-shən 

: cognitive mental processes

A concussion impaired the patient's cognition.

also : a product of these processes

cognitional

käg-ˈnish-nəl 

-ˈni-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Examples of cognition in a Sentence

disabilities affecting cognition and judgment

Recent Examples on the Web

The aspect of cognition that appears to be affected most by estrogen is verbal learning in memory—essentially, the ability to learn something new then recall it later. —Cassie Shortsleeve, SELF, 11 Mar. 2025

Falls are downstream of wear-and-tear to the physical systems integral to balance, most notably cognition. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025

As researchers continue to analyze the data, the hope is to uncover more about the factors that shielded the woman's cognition, and, in time, translate those insights into new diagnosis and treatment plans for Alzheimer's and similar neurodegenerative diseases. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025

Wonderlic — the previous benchmark for measuring cognition during the NFL combine — more closely resembles a standardized test, but the S2 Cognition test is a 40- to 45-minute exam made up of eight tests of nine cognitive functions, which are graded separately. —Cale Clinton, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cognicioun "comprehension, ability to comprehend," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French cognicion "knowledge, jurisdiction," borrowed from Latin cognitiōn-, cognitiō "act of getting to know, comprehension, investigation," from cogni-, variant stem of cognōscere "to get to know, acquire knowledge of, become acquainted with, investigate" (from co- co- + gnōscere, nōscere "to get to know," inchoative derivative from Indo-European *ǵneh₃-, *ǵṇh₃- "to know, recognize") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at know entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cognition

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition
• dismission

Kids Definition

cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈnish-ən 

: the act or process of knowing

Medical Definition

cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈnish-ən 

1

: cognitive mental processes

2

: a conscious intellectual act

conflict between cognitions