Intelligentem

Intelligentem is a Latin term describing a specific grammatical form: the accusative singular masculine present active participle of the verb intelligere, meaning to understand or perceive. The base participle is intelligens, which has the sense “understanding” or “intelligent.” When used with a masculine singular noun in the accusative, the form becomes intelligentem, as in video vir intelligentem, “I see the intelligent man.”

As a participle, intelligentem functions either as an adjective agreeing with a noun in case, number, and gender, or, in some contexts, as a substantive referring to “the intelligent one.” In classical Latin, the form changes with case and gender according to standard Latin agreement rules; the accusative masculine singular intelligentem corresponds to objects of verbs or predicate constructions involving a masculine singular noun in the accusative.

Etymologically, intelligentem derives from the Latin verb intelligere, whose Indo-European roots relate to perceiving, discerning, and understanding. The related adjective intelligens, the noun intelligentia, and cognate forms in Romance languages (such as Spanish inteligente, Italian intelligente, French intelligent) share the same origin, as does the English word intelligent.

In usage, intelligentem appears primarily in Latin texts as part of phrases describing a person or thing possessing understanding. It exemplifies how Latin participles can function descriptively or substantively, reflecting the language’s emphasis on agreement with the noun they modify.

See also: intelligere, intelligentia, intelligens, and cognate terms in Romance languages.