Advertisement

Origin and history of intelligible

intelligible(adj.)

late 14c., "able to understand, intelligent," from Latin intelligibilis, intellegibilis "that can understand; that can be understood," from intellegere "to understand, come to know" (see intelligence). In Middle English also "to be grasped by the intellect" (rather than the senses). In English, sense of "capable of being understood, that can be understood" first recorded c. 1600. Related: Intelligibly.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to intelligible

intelligence(n.)

late 14c., "the highest faculty of the mind, capacity for comprehending general truths;" c. 1400, "faculty of understanding, comprehension," from Old French intelligence (12c.) and directly from Latin intelligentia, intellegentia "understanding, knowledge, power of discerning; art, skill, taste," from intelligentem (nominative intelligens) "discerning, appreciative," present participle of intelligere "to understand, comprehend, come to know." This is from assimilated form of inter "between" (see inter-) + legere "choose, pick out, read," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')."

The meaning "superior understanding, sagacity, quality of being intelligent" is from early 15c. The sense of "information received or imparted, news" is recorded by mid-15c., especially "secret information from spies" (1580s). The meaning "a being endowed with understanding or intelligence" is late 14c. Intelligence quotient is recorded by 1921 (see I.Q.).

intelligibility(n.)

"capability of being understood," 1670s, from intelligible + -ity.

unintelligible(adj.)

1610s, "incapable of being understood," from un- (1) "not" + intelligible. Related: Unintelligibly; unintelligibility.

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    distinct
    Meaning "plain and intelligible to the mind" is from c. 1600. Related: Distinctness....
    elucidate
    "make clear or manifest, throw light upon, explain, render intelligible," 1560s, perhaps via French élucider (15c.) or directly...
    inarticulate
    c. 1600, "not clear or intelligible" (of speech); "not jointed or hinged, not composed of segments connected by joints" (...
    macaronic
    loosely to verse in which two or more languages are jumbled together with little regard to syntax but so constructed as to be intelligible...
    clarify
    Figurative sense of "to free from obscurity, render intelligible" is from 1823....
    impasse
    trouve qu'une rue ne ressemble ni à un cul ni à un sac: je vous prie de vous servir du mot d'impasse, qui est noble, sonore, intelligible...
    scilicet
    Its function is to introduce : (a) a more intelligible or definite substitute, sometimes the English, for an expression already...
    supplication
    late 14c., supplicacioun, "earnest request, entreaty, plea," from Old French suplicacion "humble request" and directly from Latin supplicationem (nominative supplicatio) "a public prayer, thanksgiving day," noun of action from past-participle stem of supplicare "to beg humbly" (i
    concrete
    late 14c., "actual, solid; particular, individual; denoting a substance," from Latin concretus "condensed, hardened, stiff, curdled, congealed, clotted," figuratively "thick; dim," literally "grown together;" past participle of concrescere "to grow together," from assimilated for
    corroborate
    1520s, "to give (legal) confirmation to," from Latin corroboratus, past participle of corroborare "to strengthen, invigorate," from assimilated form of com "with, together," here perhaps "thoroughly" (see com-) + roborare "to make strong," from robur, robus "strength," (see robus

    Share intelligible

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near intelligible
    Advertisement