understanding

[ uhn-der-stan-ding ]

/ ˌʌn dərˈstæn dɪŋ /

noun

mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation: My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.

intellectual faculties; intelligence; mind: a quick understanding.

superior power of discernment; enlightened intelligence: With her keen understanding she should have become a leader.

knowledge of or familiarity with a particular thing; skill in dealing with or handling something: an understanding of accounting practice.

a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people: To him, understanding and goodwill were the supreme virtues.

a mutual agreement, especially of a private, unannounced, or tacit kind: They had an understanding about who would do the dishes.

an agreement regulating joint activity or settling differences, often informal or preliminary in character: After hours of negotiation, no understanding on a new contract was reached.

Philosophy.

the power of abstract thought; logical power.
Kantianism. the mental faculty resolving the sensory manifold into the transcendental unity of apperception.

adjective

characterized by understanding; prompted by, based on, or demonstrating comprehension, intelligence, discernment, empathy, or the like: an understanding attitude.

Origin of understanding

before 1050; Middle English understandynge, late Old English understandincge (noun). See understand, -ing¹, -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM understanding

un·der·stand·ing·ly, adverb non·un·der·stand·ing, adjective, noun non·un·der·stand·ing·ly, adverb self-un·der·stand·ing, noun

Words nearby understanding

underspend, underspin, understaffed, understand, understandable, understanding, understate, understated, understatement, understeer, understock

Example sentences from the Web for self-understanding

All of them involve how we see ourselves as a people and how our religious/spiritual views shape that self-understanding.

The Faith-Based Big Tent |Gene Robinson |March 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
A philosophically educated and self-understanding mind is a part of absolute nature.

The Positive Outcome of Philosophy |Joseph Dietzgen
"Self-understanding is the rarest of all gifts," the prince remarked.

The Hillman |E. Phillips Oppenheim
Recognizing that your self-understanding is probably always imperfect does not mean that it is of little value.

When You Don't Know Where to Turn |Steven J. Bartlett

He does not reach the real summit of self-understanding, for he remains with a merely subjective understanding of himself.

Collected Papers on Analytical Psychology |C. G. Jung
But the objective of this book is to improve the general reliability of a person's self-diagnosis and self-understanding.

When You Don't Know Where to Turn |Steven J. Bartlett

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (1 of 2)

self-understanding

noun

the ability to understand one's own actions

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (2 of 2)

understanding

/ (ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ) /

noun

the ability to learn, judge, make decisions, etc; intelligence or sense

personal opinion or interpretation of a subject my understanding of your predicament

a mutual agreement or compact, esp an informal or private one

mainly British an unofficial engagement to be married

philosophy archaic the mind, esp the faculty of reason

on the understanding that with the condition that; providing

adjective

sympathetic, tolerant, or wise towards people

possessing judgment and intelligence

Derived forms of understanding

understandingly, adverb

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

understanding

noun

adjective

Origin of understanding

OTHER WORDS FROM understanding

Words nearby understanding

Example sentences from the Web for self-understanding

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

Derived forms of understanding

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

understanding

noun

adjective

Origin of understanding

OTHER WORDS FROM understanding

Words nearby understanding

Example sentences from the Web for self-understanding

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

Derived forms of understanding

British Dictionary definitions for self-understanding (1 of 2)