apperceive
|ap-per-ceive|
🇺🇸
/ˌæpərˈsiːv/
🇬🇧
/ˌæpə(r)ˈsiːv/
mentally grasp / assimilate
Etymology
'apperceive' originates from Latin roots, specifically from the elements 'ad-' (meaning 'to, toward') and 'percipere' (meaning 'to grasp, take hold of'), combined in Medieval Latin forms such as 'appercipere'.
'apperceive' changed from Medieval Latin 'appercipere' and later influenced by French forms (cf. 'apercevoir'/'aperceive' in older usage) and eventually entered English as the specialized verb 'apperceive' (often used in philosophical and psychological contexts).
Initially, it meant 'to take notice of or grasp' in a general sense; over time it developed a more technical psychological meaning of 'to assimilate or interpret new experiences within existing mental structures', while still retaining the broader sense 'to perceive'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to perceive or become aware of something by means of the mind; to apprehend mentally.
She could apperceive the subtle change in his tone and adjusted her response.
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Verb 2
(Psychology) To assimilate new sensory or experiential material into existing mental structures or ideas; to interpret experience by reference to prior knowledge.
In the experiment, subjects apperceived ambiguous stimuli according to their prior expectations.
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Last updated: 2025/09/24 19:42