Other forms: intellectuals
Intellectual means to do with serious thought and study. Intellectual work, an intellectual argument, intellectual property.
Intellectual property is a legal term covering patents, copyright and trade marks, and it is one of the commonest uses of the word. As a noun it names a person who thinks for a living, and in some countries that has been said with real hostility.
1adjectiveintellectualTo do with serious thought and study.
“Chess is an intellectual challenge that demands careful thinking.”
2nounthinksA person who thinks for a living.
“The café was a meeting place for writers, artists and other intellectuals.”
intellectual is a quality of thought.
Latin intellectualis comes from intellectus, understanding, from intellegere, to perceive — inter plus legere, to choose or read.
Proto-Indo-European
*leǵ-
Latin
intellectualis
Old French
intellectuel
English, today
intellectual
From Old French intellectuel, from Latin intellectualis.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA