intellectuelle

Intellectuelle is the feminine form of the French adjective intellectuel and, when used as a noun, une intellectuelle refers to a woman who is considered part of the intellectual community or who engages in intellectual work. The corresponding masculine form is un intellectuel. The term can describe traits, status, or roles associated with critical thinking, culture, scholarship, journalism, or public discourse.

Etymology and grammar: Intellectuelle derives from the Latin root intellectus, meaning understanding or perception, and follows standard French gender agreement rules. As an adjective, it agrees with the noun it modifies (une femme intellectuelle). As a noun, it stands on its own to designate a person identified by intellectual activity, typically a woman in cultural or academic fields.

Usage and connotations: In French, intellectuelle can denote membership in the intellectual class or elite, such as l’élite intellectuelle or la classe intellectuelle. The term is commonly neutral or positive when highlighting sophisticated thought or cultural contribution but can take on pejorative or distancing tones in polemical contexts, depending on who uses it and how.

Context and related terms: The masculine counterpart is intellectuel, and related expressions include élite intellectuelle and classe intellectuelle. In English-language discussions about French culture, the feminine form is often noted for linguistic gendering, while English typically uses the gender-neutral term intellectual.

See also: intellectuel, intellectual (in English), élite intellectuelle.