# intelligence

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/ · frequency rank #2,044

## Definitions
1. The capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings, acquire knowledge, and apply it to practice; the ability to comprehend and learn; the ability to process sentient experience to generate true beliefs with a justified degree of confidence.
2. The quality of making use or having made use of such capacities: depth of understanding, mental quickness.
3. An entity that has such capacities.
4. Information, often secret, about an enemy or about hostile activities.
5. A political or military department, agency or unit designed to gather information, usually secret, about the enemy or about hostile activities.
6. Acquaintance; intercourse; familiarity.

## Etymology
From Middle English intelligence, from Old French intelligence, from Latin intelligentia, which is from inter- (“between”) + legere (“to choose, pick out, read”), from Proto-Italic *legō (“to care”). Doublet of intelligentsia.

## Easily confused with
- **intelligent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/intelligence-vs-intelligent)

## Common misspellings (17)
`inetlligence`, `inntelligence`, `inteligence`, `intelilgence`, `intellgience`, `intelliegnce`, `intelligance`, `intelligecne`, `intelligencce`, `intelligenec`, `intelligennce`, `intelliggence`, `intellignece`, `intleligence`, `inttelligence`, `itnelligence`, `nitelligence`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/intelligence