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-ˈni-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Examples of cognition in a Sentence

disabilities affecting cognition and judgment

Recent Examples on the Web

The bacterium was also associated with more severe cognition decline. —Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026

London served as the central intelligence hub, responsible for developing the AI systems and Vision-Language-Action (VLA) frameworks that power the robot’s cognition. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026

Guardrails must be placed inside legislation to ensure that Texans’ privacy, liberties, safety, job opportunities, and cognition are protected from the rise of Artificial Intelligence. —Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026

Studies like Zatorre’s have also given neuroscientific credence to Meyer’s theory of music and expectation, according to Amy Belfi, a music-cognition researcher at Missouri University of Science and Technology who was not involved in his research. —Shayla Love, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026

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