intelligence

noun

in·​tel·​li·​gence in-ˈte-lə-jən(t)s 

1

a

: the ability to learn or understand things or to deal with new or difficult situations : reason

studies of human and animal intelligence

a person of average intelligence

—Hannah Fry

b

: mental acuteness : cleverness

was impressed by the candidate's intelligence

… his flights of taste and his experimentation are based on intelligence, knowledge, and training, not on slapdash hits and misses …

—Fred Ferretti

Their vividly colored feathers and intelligence are a draw to those seeking a less conventional pet than a dog or cat.

—Hannah Fry

c

archaic : comprehension, knowledge

… she prepared to meet her lover's gaze—that gaze was altered, the lover her lover no longer. How sure and rapid is the intelligence of true affection!

—Catharine Maria Sedgwick

d

Christian Science : the basic eternal quality of divine Mind

2

a

old-fashioned : information, news

… the following intelligence will doubtless be highly gratifying to the friends of freedom …

—William Still

b

: information concerning an enemy or possible enemy

an intelligence operation

intelligence reports/sources

also : an agency engaged in obtaining such information

the head of army intelligence

3

: the ability to perform computer functions

4

a

: intelligent minds or mind

cosmic intelligence

b

: an intelligent person or being

… her mind naturally chose out the greater intelligences among those she encountered …

—George Eliot

especially : angel

The angelic intelligences who supervised the spheres …

—O. B. Hardison, Jr.

Synonyms of intelligence

• intellect
• sense

Examples of intelligence in a Sentence

She impressed us with her superior intelligence.

a person of average intelligence

gathering intelligence about a neighboring country's activities

Recent Examples on the Web

Only a handful of lawmakers — the leaders of the House and Senate armed services and intelligence committees — have seen the video of the strikes. —Patrick Maguire, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

Characters broke the fourth wall as players navigated conflicting intelligence and unreliable narrators, unclear about what was or wasn’t a simulation — a game within a game. —Will Ripley, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025

Venezuelan exile leaders in Miami are sounding urgent alarms after the leak of an internal intelligence memo that orders Venezuela’s security forces to locate and gather information on former police and military officers recently deported from the United States. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Dec. 2025

The spatial intelligence advantage There’s a cognitive dimension to Cohen’s work worth understanding. —Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin intelligentia, from intelligent-, intelligens intelligent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing intelligence

• artificial intelligence
• emotional intelligence
• generative artificial intelligence
• insult someone's intelligence
• intelligence quotient
• intelligence test

Rhymes for intelligence

• counterintelligence

Kids Definition

intelligence

noun

in·​tel·​li·​gence in-ˈtel-ə-jən(t)s 

1

: the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems : reason

2

a

: news sense 1a

b

: information concerning an enemy or possible enemy

also : an agency engaged in obtaining such information

Medical Definition

intelligence

noun

in·​tel·​li·​gence in-ˈtel-ə-jən(t)s 

1

a

: the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations

b

: the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria (as tests)

2

: mental acuteness

intelligent

in-ˈtel-ə-jənt 

adjective

intelligently adverb