Standard Lemma guide

cogitate

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: kōʹjĭtāt
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkəʊdʒɪteɪt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɒdʒɪteɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈkoʊd͡ʒɪteɪt/
  • General-American: /ˈkɑd͡ʒɪteɪt/
  • rhymes with -eɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA1 JH IH0 T EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To meditate, to ponder, to think deeply.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To consider, to devise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I've been thinking all day and getting nowhere

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: think, cerebrate

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: puzzle over, rationalize, rationalise, think, philosophize, philosophise, brainstorm, chew over, think over, meditate, ponder, excogitate, contemplate, muse, reflect, mull, mull over, ruminate, speculate, reason, reason out, conclude, evaluate, pass judgment, judge, study, plan, associate, tie in, relate, link, colligate, link up, connect, concentrate, focus, center, centre, pore, rivet, give, pay, devote, think about

4

verb

Meaning 4

consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chew over, think over, meditate, ponder, excogitate, contemplate, muse, reflect, mull, mull over, ruminate, speculate

History

Etymology

First attested in 1570; borrowed from Latin cōgitātus, perfect passive participle of cōgitō (“to think”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: размислям (razmisljam) — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Bulgarian: размишлявам (razmišljavam) — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Finnish: harkita — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Finnish: miettiä — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Norwegian: fundere — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Portuguese: cogitar — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Quechua: hamut'ay — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Russian: обду́мывать (obdúmyvatʹ) — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Russian: размышля́ть (razmyšljátʹ) — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Spanish: cogitar — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Tagalog: isaisip — to meditate, to ponder, to think deeply
  • Bulgarian: разглеждам (razgleždam) — to consider, to devise
  • Bulgarian: обмислям (obmisljam) — to consider, to devise
  • Finnish: harkita — to consider, to devise