Basic Details
Word: Intelligence
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The ability to learn, understand and think things through. It can also mean secret information collected about an enemy.
Synonyms: cleverness, intellect, brightness
Antonyms: stupidity, foolishness
How to Spell Intelligence
Syllables: in - tel - li - gence
Tricky part: The l is doubled in the middle, and the ending is gence, with ence, not gance or gense.
Watch out for: inteligence, intelligance, intellegence, intelligense
Memory tip: Tell sits inside: in-TELL-igence. Someone with intelligence can tell you why, and tell brings its double l along.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Dolphins are known for their intelligence and can learn many signals from their trainers.
Example 2: Riya used her intelligence to open the puzzle box in two minutes.
Example 3: Artificial intelligence helps the map app on Papa's phone find the fastest route home.
Fun Fact
In experiments, New Caledonian crows have bent pieces of wire into hooks to pull food out of tubes, one of the best-known signs of intelligence in birds.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
intelligence
a) cleverness
b) brilliance
c) stupidity
d) wisdom
Show answer
c) stupidity. Wisdom, cleverness and brilliance are close in meaning; stupidity is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
intelligience
a) i
b) l
c) e
d) g
Show answer
a) i. After the g comes ence straight away, with no i in between.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
gecillentnie
a) intelligent
b) intelligible
c) intelligence
d) negligence
Show answer
c) intelligence. Intelligent comes close but stops at the t; the c and the extra e in the jumble turn it into the noun.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In 'The army received intelligence about a planned attack', intelligence means ____.
a) secret information
b) a soldier
c) a weapon
d) cleverness
Show answer
a) secret information
2. A person with high intelligence usually ____.
a) grows tall fast
b) sleeps a lot
c) eats spicy food
d) learns new things quickly
Show answer
d) learns new things quickly
