intuition

noun

in·​tu·​i·​tion ˌin-tü-ˈi-shən 

-tyü-

1

a

: the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference

b

: immediate apprehension or cognition

c

: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition

2

: quick and ready insight

intuitional

ˌin-tü-ˈi-sh(ə-)nəl 

-tyü-

adjective

Examples of intuition in a Sentence

Intuition was telling her that something was very wrong.

“How did you know I would drop by?” “Oh, I don't know. It must have been intuition.”

Recent Examples on the Web

This is the Dunning-Kruger effect in action: individuals trust their intuition while objective evidence contradicts their personal judgment. —Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

These prove out Fielder’s intuition that aviation safety depends on candid cockpit conversation, a particularly high-stakes—and, crucially, perhaps tractable—example of Fielder’s over-all preoccupation with the fear and anxiety that inhibits genuine communication. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025

Trusting her intuition, Stuthers sought help from her doctors about the unbearable pain, but her concerns were often invalidated. —Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 25 May 2025

But connecting to our intuition can be difficult in our overstimulated world. —Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir, Time, 20 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English intuycyon, from Late Latin intuition-, intuitio act of contemplating, from Latin intuēri to look at, contemplate, from in- + tuēri to look at

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for intuition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition

Kids Definition

intuition

noun

in·​tu·​ition

ˌin-t(y)u̇-ˈish-ən

1

: the power of knowing immediately and without conscious reasoning

2

: something known or understood at once

intuitional

-ˈish-nəl

-ən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

intuition

noun

in·​tu·​ition ˌin-t(y)u̇-ˈish-ən 

1

: immediate apprehension or cognition without reasoning or inferring

2

: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition

3

: the power or faculty of gaining direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference

intuit

in-ˈt(y)ü-ət 

transitive verb

intuitional

ˌin-t(y)u̇-ˈish-nəl, -ən-ᵊl 

adjective

intuitive

in-ˈt(y)ü-ət-iv 

adjective

intuitively adverb