Perception

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pəˈsɛpʃn̩/

Definitions

1. The ability to become aware of something through the senses or to interpret and understand information about the world around you
2. The mental process of recognizing and interpreting sensory stimuli as well as the understanding of experiences and insights gained from those stimuli
3. The act of noticing and interpreting the environment through sensory input combined with the cognitive understanding of that information

Etymology: The Latin verb "percipere" was built from "capere," "to take or seize," with the prefix "per-" meaning "through" or "thoroughly." To perceive was, at root, to seize something completely, and the Latin noun "perceptio" carried the sense of receiving or collecting, as well as comprehension. The English word came by way of Middle French "perception" and Middle English "percepcioun," so its earliest meanings were closer to taking something in than to the modern idea of sensing. That grasping sense is what makes the word's history worth a closer look. Its root is the same as that of "receive" and "capture," so a perception is, etymologically, something the mind has grabbed hold of. The Latin "percipere" was also used for legal and mental acts of gaining knowledge, not only for seeing or hearing, which explains why the English noun could mean both a sensory impression and a grasp of an idea.

Synonyms: awareness, insight, understanding, discernment

Antonyms: ignorance, misunderstanding