Main Entry: ap·per·cep·tion

Pronunciation: \-ˈsep-shən\

Function: noun

Etymology: French aperception, from apercevoir, from Middle French aperceivre, from a- (from Latin ad-) + perceivre to perceive

Date: 1753

1 : introspective self-consciousness
2 : mental perception; especially : the process of understanding something perceived in terms of previous experience

— ap·per·cep·tive \-ˈsep-tiv\ adjective