intellect
Definitions
The power of the mind to think, reason, and understand.
智力，理解力，思维能力。
A highly intelligent person.
才智出众的人。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedintel- (a form of inter-, 'between, among') + lect (pick, choose) = the power to 'pick out from among' — to sort, distinguish, and choose the right idea from a jumble. The intellect is exactly that sorting faculty: the mind reaching in and selecting the relevant thread.
Root lect still carries 128 more wordsWhy It Means This
Intellect literally describes choosing between options. inter- means 'among,' and lect (legere) means 'to pick.' So the intellect is the faculty that reaches in among all your impressions and picks out the meaningful ones — discrimination, in the good sense. This is why a related cousin, 'intelligence,' works both for a clever mind and for spy-work: both are about gathering many things and selecting what matters.
Example Sentences
- 1.
She has a sharp intellect and reads constantly.
- 2.
The debate was a genuine test of intellect.