Definition of INTELLECTUALS (original) (raw)
1
a
: of or relating to the intellect or its use
b
: developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : rational
c
: requiring use of the intellect
2
a
: given to study, reflection, and speculation
b
: engaged in activity requiring the creative use of the intellect
2
intellectuals plural, archaic : intellectual powers
Synonyms
Examples of intellectual in a Sentence
Adjective
the social and intellectual life of the campus as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people Noun
He thinks that he's an intellectual, but he doesn't know what he's talking about. She's a hard worker but she's no great intellectual. a café where artists and intellectuals mingle
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ribbon-cutting for a new Libertyville facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities highlights the need for such services in a state with thousands of people stuck on a waitlist. —
Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 It’s been largely overlooked, but the Palisades has its own rich intellectual history. —Peter Kiefer, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
The film is a lolling, ruminating afternoon bathed in sunlight and plaintive reflection as Peter vividly recalls interactions with names that will be familiar to you, like Susan Sontag, and other intellectuals and creators of the period. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025 Marcy Thompson: And in the coffeehouse culture that the era is famous for, Margarethe found her way to a group of radical intellectuals who reflected her own desire for progress, the Socialist Students League. —Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for intellectual 
Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of intellectual was in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near intellectual
Cite this Entry
“Intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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Last Updated: 3 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences
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