ISTAR

Noun

intelligence (countable and uncountable, plural intelligences)

1. (uncountable) The capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend and learn; the ability to process sentient experience to generate true beliefs with a justified degree of confidence.
   • Not so, however, with Tarzan, the man-child. His life amidst the dangers of the jungle had taught him to meet emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers of the apes.1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 5, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert]...

   Synonyms:

   brightness, intellect, smartness, wit

   Antonyms:

   unintelligence

   1. An individual's expected relative performance in a cognitive test.
      • intelligence quotient
   2. (uncountable) The quality of making use or having made use of such capacities: depth of understanding, mental quickness.
      • From a religious point of view, a bodhisattva with sharp faculties and great intelligence can cause a tremendous upheaval if he or she misuses that power under the influence of negative emotions, like attachment and hatred.2018, Dalai Lama, translated by Dhondup Tsering, Introduction to Buddhism, →ISBN, page 8
2. (countable) An entity that has such capacities.
   • The great Intelligences fair
     That range above our mortal state,
     In circle round the blessed gate,
     Received and gave him welcome there.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto LXXXIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 118

   Synonyms:

   sentient, sapient, sophont

3. (uncountable) Information, often secret, about an enemy or about hostile activities.
   • Their lack of good intelligence also meant that they vastly overestimated the size of their foes for far too long, hails of armor-piercing shells doing comparatively little damage compared to the high explosive that they should have been using.2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 40:01 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022
   1. (countable) A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.

See all 7 meanings of intelligence