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

Consider it everyday activism anchored in acknowledgement, self-preservation and edifying intellectual steers. —Katie Baron, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

During those days, the country’s intellectual and scientific communities were largely based on the East Coast while California remained the Wild West as far as some were concerned. —Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 6 Jan. 2025

Noun

Nobody escaped his pen: the Church, intellectuals, politics, politicians and governments, kings and queens. —Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025

Louis Jourdan, Count Dracula (1977) This BBC TV movie is a faithful adaptation of the book, and Jourdan plays a Dracula who teems with ghoulish sophistication as a refined intellectual with an aptitude for language and etymology. —Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 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