intellectual

1 of 2

adjective

in·​tel·​lec·​tu·​al ˌin-tə-ˈlek-chə-wəl 

-chəl,

-shwəl,

-chü(-ə)l

1

a

: of or relating to the intellect or its use

b

: developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : rational

c

: requiring use of the intellect

intellectual games

2

a

: given to study, reflection, and speculation

b

: engaged in activity requiring the creative use of the intellect

intellectual playwrights

intellectuality

ˌin-tə-ˌlek-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē 

noun

intellectually

ˌin-tə-ˈlek-chə-wə-lē 

-chə-lē

-shwə-lē

-chü(-ə)-lē

adverb

intellectualness

ˌin-tə-ˈlek-chə-wəl-nəs 

-chəl-

-shwəl-

-chü(-ə)l-

noun

intellectual

2 of 2

noun

1

: an intellectual person

2

intellectuals plural, archaic : intellectual powers

Synonyms

Adjective

• blue
• cerebral
• eggheaded
• geeky
• highbrow
• highbrowed
• intellectualist
• intellectualistic
• long-haired
• longhair
• nerdish
• nerdy

Noun

• double-dome
• geek
• highbrow
• intellectualist
• longhair
• nerd

Examples of intellectual in a Sentence

Adjective

the social and intellectual life of the campus

as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people

Noun

He thinks that he's an intellectual, but he doesn't know what he's talking about.

She's a hard worker but she's no great intellectual.

a café where artists and intellectuals mingle

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Based out of West Valley College in Saratoga, the College of Adaptive Arts is a nonprofit that provides college programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

The aim, according to its course description, is to use her work as a lens through which to examine Black intellectual thought and activism. —Angela Yang, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024

Noun

Through cooperation with right-wing intellectuals abroad, the Danube Institute has proved instrumental in promoting the culturally conservative vision of Orbán's Hungary. —Flora Garamvolgyi, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024

Other artists, writers and intellectuals sought to counter the industrial status quo. —Anne Wallentine, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing intellectual

• anti-intellectual
• hyper-intellectual
• intellectual disability
• intellectual freedom
• intellectual property
• pseudo-intellectual

Kids Definition

intellectual

1 of 2 adjective

in·​tel·​lec·​tu·​al ˌint-ᵊl-ˈek-ch(ə-w)əl 

1

: relating to the intellect or understanding

2

: having intellect to a high degree : engaged in or given to learning and thinking

an intellectual person

3

: requiring study and thought

intellectual games

intellectuality

-ˌek-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē 

noun

intellectually

-ˈek-chə-(wə-)lē 

adverb

intellectual

2 of 2 noun

: an intellectual person