intelligentsia — intellectuals or highly educated people as a group, especially when regarded as possessing culture and political influence
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: intellectuals or highly educated people as a group, especially when regarded as possessing culture and political influence
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪnˌtelɪˈdʒentsiə/
Example Sentences
- The coffee shop was full of intelligentsia discussing philosophy over expensive lattes.
- The university's intelligentsia often criticized government policies in their academic papers.
- He tried to impress the intelligentsia by using big words, but only confused everyone.
intelligentsia
NOUN[/ɪnˌtelɪˈdʒentsiə/]
intellectuals or highly educated people as a group, especially when regarded as possessing culture and political influence
The intelligentsia gathered in the old café to debate the nation's future.
Intelligentsia lost in amnesia, classroom filled with hysteria!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Russian intelligentsia, which in turn comes from Latin intelligentia (meaning 'understanding' or 'intelligence'). It emerged in 19th-century Russia to denote the educated intellectual class and subsequently spread globally to describe similar groups of educated professionals and cultural elites.
Breakdown
intelligent- (from Latin intelligens, 'understanding') + -sia (a Russian collective noun suffix denoting a social class or group). The suffix -sia transforms the root into a noun indicating a stratum or category of people.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The coffee shop was full of intelligentsia discussing philosophy over expensive lattes.”
“The university's intelligentsia often criticized government policies in their academic papers.”
“He tried to impress the intelligentsia by using big words, but only confused everyone.”
“The country's intelligentsia led the movement for educational reform.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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