Origin and history of intelligence

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.).