'apercipient' originates from English, specifically formed from the verb 'aperceive' plus the adjectival suffix '-ent', where 'aperceive' meant 'to perceive' (borrowed from Old French 'apercevoir').

'apercipient' changed from the English verb 'aperceive' (from Old French 'apercevoir'), which in turn comes from Latin elements such as 'ad-' + 'percipere' (to grasp or perceive); the modern adjective was formed in English using the suffix '-ent'.

Initially it meant 'able to perceive' or 'having the power of aperception'; over time the core meaning has remained similar but the word became relatively rare and is used mainly in literary or formal contexts to mean 'perceptive'.