Word Study
insight
CIDE DICTIONARY
insight, n.
- A sight or view of the interior of anything; a deep inspection or view; introspection; -- frequently used with into. [1913 Webster]"He had an insight into almost all the secrets of state." [1913 Webster]
- Power of acute observation and deduction; penetration; discernment; perception. [1913 Webster]"Quickest insight
In all things that to greatest actions lead." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
insight, n. (usu. foll. by into)
1 the capacity of understanding hidden truths etc., esp. of character or situations.
2 an instance of this.
1 the capacity of understanding hidden truths etc., esp. of character or situations.
2 an instance of this.
Derivative
insightful adj. insightfully adv.
Etymology
ME, = 'discernment', prob. of Scand. & LG orig. (as IN-(2), SIGHT)
THESAURUS
insight
ESP, a priori knowledge, acuity, acumen, acuteness, anschauung, anticipation, apperception, appreciation, appreciativeness, astuteness, awareness, buddhi, clairsentience, clairvoyance, cogency, cognition, cognizance, comprehension, consciousness, critical discernment, direct apprehension, discernment, extrasensory perception, farseeingness, farsightedness, flair, foresight, foresightedness, immediate cognition, incisiveness, inspiration, intuition, intuitionism, intuitive reason, intuitiveness, intuitivism, judgement, judgment, knowledge without thought, longheadedness, longsightedness, lucidity, mindfulness, noesis, note, notice, penetration, perception, perceptiveness, percipience, perspicaciousness, perspicacity, perspicuity, perspicuousness, precognition, premonition, providence, psychometry, realization, recognition, sagaciousness, sagacity, sageness, sapience, satori, second sight, second-sightedness, sensibility, sensitivity, sharpness, sixth sense, subconscious knowledge, subconscious perception, trenchancy, understanding, unmediated perception, vision, wisdomROGET THESAURUS
insight
Knowledge
N knowledge, cognizance, cognition, cognoscence, acquaintance, experience, ken, privity, insight, familiarity, comprehension, apprehension, recognition, appreciation, intuition, conscience, consciousness, perception, precognition, acroamatics, light, enlightenment, glimpse, inkling, glimmer, glimmering, dawn, scent, suspicion, impression, discovery, system of knowledge, body of knowledge, science, philosophy, pansophy, acroama, theory, aetiology, etiology, circle of the sciences, pandect, doctrine, body of doctrine, cyclopedia, encyclopedia, school, tree of knowledge, republic of letters, erudition, learning, lore, scholarship, reading, letters, literature, book madness, book learning, bookishness, bibliomania, bibliolatry, information, general information, store of knowledge, education, culture, menticulture, attainments, acquirements, acquisitions, accomplishments, proficiency, practical knowledge, liberal education, dilettantism, rudiments, deep knowledge, profound knowledge, solid knowledge, accurate knowledge, acroatic knowledge, acroamatic knowledge, vast knowledge, extensive knowledge, encyclopedic knowledge, encyclopedic learning, omniscience, pantology, march of intellect, progress of science, advance of science, advance of learning, schoolmaster abroad, scholar, knowing, cognitive, acroamatic, aware of, cognizant of, conscious of, acquainted with, made acquainted with, privy to, no stranger to, au fait with, au courant, in the secret, up to, alive to, behind the scenes, behind the curtain, let into, apprized of, informed of, undeceived, proficient with, versed with, read with, forward with, strong with, at home in, conversant with, familiar with, erudite, instructed, leaned, lettered, educated, well conned, well informed, well read, well grounded, well educated, enlightened, shrewd, savant, blue, bookish, scholastic, solid, profound, deep-read, book- learned, accomplished, omniscient, self-taught, known, ascertained, well-known, recognized, received, notorious, noted, proverbial, familiar, familiar as household words, familiar to every schoolboy, hackneyed, trite, trivial, commonplace, cognoscible, cognizable, to one's knowledge, to the best of one's knowledge, one's eyes being opened, ompredre tout c'est tout pardonner, to know all is to pardon all, empta dolore docet experientia, gnothi seauton, half our knowledge we must snatch not take, Jahre lehren mehr als Bucher, years teach more than books, knowledge comes but wisdom lingers, knowledge is power, les affaires font les hommes, nec scire fas est omnia, the amassed thought and experience of innumerable, was ich nicht weiss macht mich nicht heiss.For further exploring for "insight" in Webster Dictionary Online