Standard Lemma guide

percipient

adj · noun · 6 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: /pəˈsɪp.i.ənt/
  • General-American: /pɚˈsɪp.i.ənt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪpiənt
  • CMU ARPABET: P ER0 S IH1 P IY0 AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P ER0 S IH1 P Y AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having the ability to perceive, especially to perceive quickly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Perceiving events only in the moment, without reflection, like a very young child.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

Topics: education, human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

One who perceives something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

One who has perceived a paranormal event.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: parapsychology, pseudoscience

Examples

  • In the course of investigating the haunting, I interviewed several percipients.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • clear mind
  • a percipient author

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clear

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: perceiver, observer, beholder

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: eyeglass wearer, finder, discoverer, spotter, hearer, listener, auditor, attender, audile, motile, noticer, seer, spectator, witness, viewer, watcher, looker, visualizer, visualiser, witnesser, informant

History

Etymology

From Latin percipiēns, present participle of percipiō (“to perceive”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лесно възприемащ (lesno vǎzpriemašt) — having the ability to perceive
  • Irish: airitheach — having the ability to perceive
  • Irish: braiteach — having the ability to perceive
  • Irish: tuisceanach — having the ability to perceive
  • Irish: airitheoir — one who perceives something
  • French: percipient — One who has perceived a paranormal event