Definition of intellect

The word "intellect" can be traced back to the Latin word "intellectus," which was originally used to refer to the human ability to understand and make rational judgments. In medieval philosophy, the term "intellectus" was used to describe the rational part of the soul, separate from the divine illumination of faith that was attributed to another part of the soul, called the "intellectusAGEN." During the Renaissance, the scholarly revival of classical learning brought renewed interest in the works of the ancient Roman philosopher and statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, who employed the term "intellectus" to describe a comprehensive and evident way of knowing that was distinct from mere perception. This new interpretation of the meaning of "intellectus" influenced the development of modern philosophy, as thinkers like René Descartes and John Locke adopted the term to refer to the faculty by which humans acquire knowledge through reason and experience. In contemporary usage, the term "intellect" is often used to describe individuals who possess high intelligence and intellectual capacity, and who make significant contributions to their respective fields.