Dictionary / intuition
intuition
- noun
- from Middle French
Immediate cognition without the use of conscious rational processes.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “intuition” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableuncountableImmediate cognition without the use of conscious rational processes.
- countableuncountableA perceptive insight gained by the use of this faculty.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (2)
- nouninstinctive knowing (without the use of rational processes)
- nounan impression that something might be the case — also: hunch, suspicion
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)intuition
- Middle Frenchintuition
- Medieval Latinintuitiō “a looking at, immediate cognition”
- Latinintueor “to look at, consider”
- Latinin- “in, on” + tueor “to look, watch, guard, see, observe”
From Middle French intuition, from Medieval Latin intuitiō (“a looking at, immediate cognition”), from Latin intueor (“to look at, consider”), from in- (“in, on”) + tueor (“to look, watch, guard, see, observe”). Equivalent to intuit + -ion.
Derivatives — words built from “intuition”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “intuition” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “intuition” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
intuition n. [L. intuitus, p. p. of intueri to look on; in- in, on + tueri: cf. F. intuition. See Tuition.]
- A looking after; a regard to.
- Direct apprehension or cognition; immediate knowledge, as in perception or consciousness; -- distinguished from as, the mind knows by intuition that black is not white, that a circle is not a square, that three are more than two, etc.; quick or ready insight or apprehension.
- Any object or truth discerned by intuition.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: an impression that something might be the case
he had an intuition that something had gone wrong
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
intuition
/ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/ · in·tu·ition
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
intuition
/ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/ · in·tu·ition · noun
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “intuition” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “intuition” and what each means:
Step 4 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Latin intueor. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 5 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — intuition
Origin: C. Middle French (Middle French intuition)
Journey: English intuition ← Middle French intuition ← Medieval Latin intuitiō ← Latin intueor ← Latin in- + tueor
Some derivatives: counterintuition, intuit, intuitional, intuitionism, intuitionist, intuitionistic, intuitionless, intuitive
Original meaning: Latin intueor — “to look at, consider”
Built from: in- “in, on” + tueor “to look, watch, guard, see, observe”
Etymology: From Middle French intuition, from Medieval Latin intuitiō (“a looking at, immediate cognition”), from Latin intueor (“to look at, consider”), from in- (“in, on”) + tueor (“to look, watch, guard, see, observe”). Equivalent to intuit + -ion.
Sources: Wiktionary “intuition” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/intuition#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/intuition