Perceive Definition

pər-sēv
perceived, perceives, perceiving
verb
perceived, perceives, perceiving
To grasp mentally; take note (of); observe.
Webster's New World
To become aware (of) through one of the senses, esp. through sight.
Webster's New World
To cause or allow the mind to become aware of (a stimulus).
The ear perceives sounds.
American Heritage
To achieve understanding of; apprehend.
Einstein perceived that energy and matter are equivalent.
American Heritage
To regard or consider; deem.
An old technology that is still perceived as useful; a politician who is perceived to be a dissembler.
American Heritage

Origin of Perceive

  • From Middle English perceiven, from Old French percevoir, perceveir, from Latin percipere, past participle perceptus (“take hold of, obtain, receive, observe"), from per (“by, through") + capere (“to take"); see capable. Compare conceive, deceive, receive.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English perceiven from Old French perceivre from Latin percipere per- per- capere to seize kap- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to perceive using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

perceive