cognitive

adjective

cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nə-tiv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
1
: of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering)
cognitive impairment
2
: based on or capable of being reduced to empirical factual knowledge
cognitively adverb

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How should you use cognitive?

Cognitive skills and knowledge involve the ability to acquire factual information, often the kind of knowledge that can easily be tested. So cognition should be distinguished from social, emotional, and creative development and ability. Cognitive science is a growing field of study that deals with human perception, thinking, and learning.

Examples of cognitive in a Sentence

Homo sapiens' survival is founded in their filling an evolutionary niche referred to as the cognitive niche. Daniel Grassam, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 2001
Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life. Lisa McLaughlin, Time, 5 June 2000
Further into the forebrain, motor functions trail off and cognitive functions, involving planning and thinking about the future, begin. Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times, 8 Nov. 1994
Recent Examples on the Web New research suggests that in up to 10 percent of cases where a patient is diagnosed with dementia, the problem is actually undetected liver disease, which can cause similar neurological symptoms, such as cognitive impairment and changes in mood and motor skills. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024 In 2019, an off-duty LAPD officer fatally shot 32-year-old Kenneth French, who had a cognitive disability, during an altercation inside a Costco in Corona. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 The term refers to a play area that addresses the needs of all ages and abilities, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory challenges, visual and auditory impairments, cognitive, developmental and physical disabilities, as well as medically fragile individuals. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Jackson added that Trump performed exceedingly well during a cognitive exam, a test that Jackson scheduled to rebut growing questions about the president’s fitness for office. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 The treatment group also showed a 76 percent slowing in cognitive difficulties compared with placebo, as measured by a test that evaluates orientation, memory, and attention, as well as verbal and written ability. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 This cognitive design methodology focuses on creating more natural and intuitive human-AI experiences. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Attention Residue One of the most damaging effects of the hyper-connected world is attention residue: the cognitive cost accumulated when shifting from one task to another. Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Training in attentional control strategies, such as through mindfulness or cognitive training exercises, has been shown to improve the ability to manage distressing thoughts. Quora, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cognitive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin cognitīvus "concerned with knowing," from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognōscere "to get to know, acquire knowledge of" + -īvus -ive — more at cognition

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cognitive was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near cognitive

Cite this Entry

“Cognitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognitive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cognitive

adjective
cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nət-iv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
: of, relating to, or being conscious mental activities (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, learning words, and using language)

Medical Definition

cognitive

adjective
cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nət-iv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
: of, relating to, or being conscious intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words)
the cognitive elements of perceptionC. H. Hamburg
cognitively adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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