- Having intelligence.
- Having a high degree of intelligence; mentally acute.
- Showing sound judgment and rationality: an intelligent decision; an intelligent solution to the problem.
- Appealing to the intellect; intellectual: a film with witty and intelligent dialogue.
- Computer Science. Having certain data storage and processing capabilities: an intelligent terminal; intelligent peripherals.
[Latin intelligēns, intelligent-, present participle of intellegere, intelligere, to perceive : inter-, inter- + legere, to choose.]
intelligential in·tel'li·gen'tial (-jĕn'shəl) adj.intelligently in·tel'li·gent·ly adv.
SYNONYMS intelligent, bright, brilliant, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual. These adjectives mean having or showing mental keenness. Intelligent usually implies the ability to cope with new problems and to use the power of reasoning and inference effectively: The intelligent math students excelled in calculus. Bright implies quickness or ease in learning: The bright child learned the alphabet quickly. Brilliant suggests unusually impressive mental acuteness: “The dullard's envy of brilliant men is always assuaged by the suspicion that they will come to a bad end” (Max Beerbohm). Knowing implies the possession of knowledge, information, or understanding: Knowing collectors bought all the auctioned paintings. Quick-witted suggests mental alertness and prompt response: The quick-witted emergency medical staff averted a tragedy. Smart refers to quick intelligence and often a ready capability for taking care of one's own interests: Smart lawyers can effectively manipulate juries. Intellectual implies the capacity to grasp difficult or abstract concepts: The former professor was the more intellectual candidate.
