Etymologically
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perception

Etymology and origin of the English word perception

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
before 1398
Borrowed from
Old French percepcion
Ultimate origin
Latin (percipio)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pəˈsɛpʃn̩/ (UK); /pɚˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English percepcioun, borrowed from Old French percepcion and directly borrowed from Latin perceptio (“perception, apprehension, a taking”),[2][3][4] from the past participle stem of percipere (“to take possession of; to perceive”) (see perceive).[3][2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The act of perceiving, understanding: before 1398, in Trevisa's translation of Bartholomew;[2] the late 14th century in Etymonline.[3]

Semantic evolution

Middle English also used it in the literal sense of the Latin, a taking:[3] the collection of rents (1493, now only legal) and the receiving of the Eucharist (1483, obsolete).[6] Awareness of objects in general is from 1611, and awareness through the senses from 1704.[6] Intuitive or direct recognition of some quality is from 1827.[3] Perceptive is from 1656.[2]

Timeline

  • before 1398 – understanding.[2]
  • 1483 – receiving the Eucharist (obsolete).[6]
  • 1493 – the collection of rents.[6]
  • 1611 – awareness.[6]
  • 1704 – sense perception.[6]
  • 1827 – intuitive recognition.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The ability to see, hear or become aware of something through the senses.
  2. The way something is understood or regarded; an impression.
  3. Insight or intuitive understanding.

Word family

  • perceptional
  • imperception
  • nonperception
  • reperception
  • self-perception
  • depth perception
  • extrasensory perception

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Perception.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/perception. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·