U.S. civilian espionage agency, initialism (acronym) of Central Intelligence Agency, founded 1947 as successor to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

also a.i., by 1971, abbreviation of artificial intelligence. Earlier in 20c. it stood for artificial insemination.

also dim-wit, "slow-witted person," U.S. college slang by 1922, from dim (adj.) "of low intensity" + wit (n.) "intelligence." Related: dimwitted; dimwittedly.

c. 1500, a back-formation from intelligence or else from Latin intelligentem (nominative intelligens), present participle of intelligere. Intelligent design, as a name for an alternative to atheistic cosmology and the theory of evolution, is from 1999. Related: Intelligently.

"quality of being brilliant," 1755, from brilliant + -ance. The figurative sense (of wit, intelligence, etc.) is from 1779. Distinguished from brilliancy in that the latter usually is applied to things measurable in degrees.

"turn to military use, give a military aspect to" (transitive), 1829, see military + -ize. Related: Militarized; militarizing.

1841, "military spirit, addiction to war or military practice," from French militarisme, from militaire "military" (see military); also see -ism. By 1864 in reference to nations or peoples, "predominance of the military class, maintenance of national power by means of standing armies."

"pertaining to, performed by, or originating in the intellect," 1650s, from Greek noētikos "intelligent," from noēsis "a perception, intelligence, thought" (see noesis). Related: Noetical (1640s).

"top of the head," Middle English nol "head," especially as the seat of intelligence, from Old English hnol, cognate with Middle Dutch nolle, Old High German hnol "back part of the head."

Jung's term for the inner part of the personality, or the female component of a masculine personality, 1923, from fem. of Latin animus "the rational soul; life; the mental powers, intelligence" (see animus). For earlier use in the sense of "soul, vital principle," see anima mundi.