cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈni-shən 

: cognitive mental processes

A concussion impaired the patient's cognition.

also : a product of these processes

cognitional

käg-ˈnish-nəl 

-ˈni-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Examples of cognition in a Sentence

disabilities affecting cognition and judgment

Recent Examples on the Web

Mercury enters your sign on March 3 giving your cognition, communication, and problem solving a major upgrade. —Colin Bedell, Them, 28 Feb. 2025

Whether or not lion’s mane truly enhances cognition, its popularity speaks to something larger—our innate desire to reconnect with the natural world. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025

Led by comparative cognition postdoctoral candidate Christoph Völter, researchers introduced various communication scenarios to dogs to learn the answer. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Feb. 2025

Alarm bells are tolling for students of all ages and literacy levels, from trends in COVID-19 recovery, to fundamental reading pedagogy, to reading in higher education, to the features of cognition itself. —Thomas Howell, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cognicioun "comprehension, ability to comprehend," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French cognicion "knowledge, jurisdiction," borrowed from Latin cognitiōn-, cognitiō "act of getting to know, comprehension, investigation," from cogni-, variant stem of cognōscere "to get to know, acquire knowledge of, become acquainted with, investigate" (from co- co- + gnōscere, nōscere "to get to know," inchoative derivative from Indo-European *ǵneh₃-, *ǵṇh₃- "to know, recognize") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at know entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cognition

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition
• dismission

Kids Definition

cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈnish-ən 

: the act or process of knowing

Medical Definition

cognition

noun

cog·​ni·​tion käg-ˈnish-ən 

1

: cognitive mental processes

2

: a conscious intellectual act

conflict between cognitions