intelligentsia

English

Etymology

From Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija) or Polish inteligencja, from Latin intellegentia (“intelligence”). Doublet of intelligence.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪntɛlɪˈd͡ʒɛntsɪə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪntɛləˈd͡ʒɛn(t)si.ə/, /ɪntɛləˈɡɛn(t)si.ə/
• (Received Pronunciation, dated) IPA^(key): /ɪntɛlɪˈɡɛntsɪə/

Noun

intelligentsia (countable and uncountable, plural intelligentsias)

1. (politics) The intellectual elite of a society, particularly in Marxist doctrine.
   • 1967 [1899], Vladimir Lenin, “Попятное направление в русской социал-демократии”, in Ленин В. И. ― Полное собрание сочинений, volume 4, page 269; English translation from “A Retrograde Trend in Russian Social-Democracy”, in Lenin's Collected Works, volume 4, translation of original in Russian, 1977, pages 280-281:

     […] real heroes are coming to the fore from amongst the workers, who, despite their wretched living conditions, despite the stultifying penal servitude of factory labour, possess so much character and will-power that they study, study, study, and turn themselves into conscious Social-Democrats — "the working-class intelligentsia." This "working-class intelligentsia" already exists in Russia, and we must make every effort to ensure that its ranks are regularly reinforced, that its lofty mental requirements are met and that leaders of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party come from its ranks.

     [original: […] среди рабочих растет страстное стремление к знанию и к социализму, среди рабочих выделяются настоящие герои, которые — несмотря на безобразную обстановку своей жизни, несмотря на оту¬ пляющую каторжную работу на фабрике, — находят в себе столько характера и силы воли, чтобы учиться, учиться и учиться и вырабатывать из себя сознательных социалдемократов, «рабочую интеллигенцию». В России уже есть эта «рабочая интеллигенция», и мы должны приложить все усилия к тому, чтобы ее ряды постоянно расширялись, чтобы ее высокие умственные запросы вполне удовлетворялись, чтобы из ее ря¬ дов выходили руководители русской социал-демократической рабочей партии.]

     […] sredi rabočix rastet strastnoje stremlenije k znaniju i k socializmu, sredi rabočix vydeljajutsja nastojaščije geroi, kotoryje — nesmotrja na bezobraznuju obstanovku svojej žizni, nesmotrja na otu¬ pljajuščuju katoržnuju rabotu na fabrike, — naxodjat v sebe stolʹko xaraktera i sily voli, štoby učitʹsja, učitʹsja i učitʹsja i vyrabatyvatʹ iz sebja soznatelʹnyx socialdemokratov, «rabočuju intelligenciju». V Rossii uže jestʹ eta «rabočaja intelligencija», i my dolžny priložitʹ vse usilija k tomu, štoby jeje rjady postojanno rasširjalisʹ, štoby jeje vysokije umstvennyje zaprosy vpolne udovletvorjalisʹ, štoby iz jeje rja¬ dov vyxodili rukovoditeli russkoj social-demokratičeskoj rabočej partii.

   • 1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn:

     It should be noted that there is now no intelligentsia that is not in some sense "Left". Perhaps the last right-wing intellectual was T. E. Lawrence. Since about 1930 everyone describable as an “intellectual” has lived in a state of chronic discontent with the existing order.

Related terms

• unintelligentsia

Translations

intellectual elite

• Albanian: inteligjencie (sq) f
• Arabic: أَنْتِلِيجِنْسْيَا f (ʔantilijinsyā), أَنْتِلِيجِنْسْيَا f (ʔantiliginsyā), أَهْل اَلْفَكْر m (ʔahl al-fakr)
• Armenian: մտավորականություն (hy) (mtavorakanutʻyun), ինտելիգենցիա (hy) (inteligencʻia) (dated)
• Azerbaijani: ziyalılar (az) pl, intelligensiya
• Belarusian: інтэліге́нцыя f (intelihjéncyja)
• Bulgarian: интелиге́нция f (inteligéncija)
• Catalan: intel·liguèntsia f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 知識分子 / 知识分子 (zh) (zhīshi fènzǐ), 知識界 / 知识界 (zh) (zhīshíjiè, zhīshìjiè)

• Czech: inteligence (cs) f
• Danish: intelligentsia c
• Dutch: intelligentsia (nl) f
• Estonian: haritlaskond, intelligents, maa sool
• Finnish: älymystö (fi), intelligentsia (fi), sivistyneistö (fi)
• French: intelligentsia (fr) f
• Georgian: ინტელიგენცია (inṭeligencia)
• German: Intelligenz (de) f, Intelligenzija (de) f
• Greek: ιντελιγκέντσια (el) f (inteligkéntsia)
• Hindi: प्रबुद्ध लोग pl (prabuddh log)
• Hungarian: értelmiség (hu)
• Italian: intellighenzia (it)
• Japanese: インテリ (ja) (interi), インテリゲンチャ (ja) (interigencha), インテリゲンチア (ja) (interigenchia)
• Kazakh: зиялылар pl (ziälylar), интеллигенция (intelligensiä)
• Korean: 인텔리겐치아 (ko) (intelligenchia)
• Kyrgyz: интеллигенция (ky) (intelligentsiya), зыялылар pl (zıyalılar)
• Latvian: inteliģence f
• Lithuanian: inteligentija f
• Macedonian: интелигенција f (inteligencija)
• Mongolian:

  Cyrillic: сэхээтэн (mn) (sexeeten)

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: intelligentsia m

• Persian: اینتلیجنتسیا (intelijentsiyâ), روشنفکران (fa) pl (rowšanfekrân)
• Polish: inteligencja (pl) f
• Portuguese: intelligentsia (pt) f
• Romanian: intelectualitate (ro) f
• Russian: интеллиге́нция (ru) f (intelligéncija)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: интелигѐнција f

  Roman: inteligèncija (sh) f

• Slovak: inteligencia f
• Slovene: inteligenca f
• Spanish: intelligentsia f (inteliguentsia), inteligencia (es) f
• Swedish: intelligentia (sv) c
• Tagalog: santalinuhan
• Tajik: зиёиён (ziyoyiyon), интеллигенция (intelligentsiya)
• Tatar: зыялылар pl (zıyalılar), интеллигенция (intelligentsiyä)
• Turkish: entelijansiya, aydınlar (tr) pl
• Turkmen: intelligensiýa
• Ukrainian: інтеліге́нція (uk) f (intelihéncija)
• Uzbek: intelligensiya (uz), ziyolilar (uz)
• Vietnamese: giới trí thức

Danish

Etymology

From Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija), from Italian intellighenzia, from Latin intelligentia.

Noun

intelligentsia c (singular definite intelligentsiaen, plural indefinite intelligentsiaer)

1. intelligentsia

Inflection

Declension of intelligentsia

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	intelligentsia	intelligentsiaen	intelligentsiaer	intelligentsiaerne
genitive	intelligentsias	intelligentsiaens	intelligentsiaers	intelligentsiaernes

Synonyms

• intelligens c

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija), from Italian intellighenzia, from Latin intelligentia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈintelːiɡentsiɑ/, [ˈin̪t̪e̞lːiˌɡe̞n.ts̠iɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -en.tsiɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): in‧tel‧li‧gent‧sia

Noun

intelligentsia

1. intelligentsia

Declension

Inflection of intelligentsia (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)
nominative		intelligentsia	intelligentsiat
genitive		intelligentsian	intelligentsioiden intelligentsioitten
partitive		intelligentsiaa	intelligentsioita
illative		intelligentsiaan	intelligentsioihin
		singular	plural
nominative		intelligentsia	intelligentsiat
accusative	nom.	intelligentsia	intelligentsiat
	gen.	intelligentsian
genitive		intelligentsian	intelligentsioiden intelligentsioitten intelligentsiain rare
partitive		intelligentsiaa	intelligentsioita
inessive		intelligentsiassa	intelligentsioissa
elative		intelligentsiasta	intelligentsioista
illative		intelligentsiaan	intelligentsioihin
adessive		intelligentsialla	intelligentsioilla
ablative		intelligentsialta	intelligentsioilta
allative		intelligentsialle	intelligentsioille
essive		intelligentsiana	intelligentsioina
translative		intelligentsiaksi	intelligentsioiksi
abessive		intelligentsiatta	intelligentsioitta
instructive		—	intelligentsioin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of intelligentsia (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative intelligentsiani intelligentsiani accusative nom. intelligentsiani intelligentsiani gen. intelligentsiani genitive intelligentsiani intelligentsioideni intelligentsioitteni intelligentsiaini rare partitive intelligentsiaani intelligentsioitani inessive intelligentsiassani intelligentsioissani elative intelligentsiastani intelligentsioistani illative intelligentsiaani intelligentsioihini adessive intelligentsiallani intelligentsioillani ablative intelligentsialtani intelligentsioiltani allative intelligentsialleni intelligentsioilleni essive intelligentsianani intelligentsioinani translative intelligentsiakseni intelligentsioikseni abessive intelligentsiattani intelligentsioittani instructive — — comitative — intelligentsioineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative intelligentsiasi intelligentsiasi accusative nom. intelligentsiasi intelligentsiasi gen. intelligentsiasi genitive intelligentsiasi intelligentsioidesi intelligentsioittesi intelligentsiaisi rare partitive intelligentsiaasi intelligentsioitasi inessive intelligentsiassasi intelligentsioissasi elative intelligentsiastasi intelligentsioistasi illative intelligentsiaasi intelligentsioihisi adessive intelligentsiallasi intelligentsioillasi ablative intelligentsialtasi intelligentsioiltasi allative intelligentsiallesi intelligentsioillesi essive intelligentsianasi intelligentsioinasi translative intelligentsiaksesi intelligentsioiksesi abessive intelligentsiattasi intelligentsioittasi instructive — — comitative — intelligentsioinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative intelligentsiamme intelligentsiamme accusative nom. intelligentsiamme intelligentsiamme gen. intelligentsiamme genitive intelligentsiamme intelligentsioidemme intelligentsioittemme intelligentsiaimme rare partitive intelligentsiaamme intelligentsioitamme inessive intelligentsiassamme intelligentsioissamme elative intelligentsiastamme intelligentsioistamme illative intelligentsiaamme intelligentsioihimme adessive intelligentsiallamme intelligentsioillamme ablative intelligentsialtamme intelligentsioiltamme allative intelligentsiallemme intelligentsioillemme essive intelligentsianamme intelligentsioinamme translative intelligentsiaksemme intelligentsioiksemme abessive intelligentsiattamme intelligentsioittamme instructive — — comitative — intelligentsioinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative intelligentsianne intelligentsianne accusative nom. intelligentsianne intelligentsianne gen. intelligentsianne genitive intelligentsianne intelligentsioidenne intelligentsioittenne intelligentsiainne rare partitive intelligentsiaanne intelligentsioitanne inessive intelligentsiassanne intelligentsioissanne elative intelligentsiastanne intelligentsioistanne illative intelligentsiaanne intelligentsioihinne adessive intelligentsiallanne intelligentsioillanne ablative intelligentsialtanne intelligentsioiltanne allative intelligentsiallenne intelligentsioillenne essive intelligentsiananne intelligentsioinanne translative intelligentsiaksenne intelligentsioiksenne abessive intelligentsiattanne intelligentsioittanne instructive — — comitative — intelligentsioinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative intelligentsiansa intelligentsiansa accusative nom. intelligentsiansa intelligentsiansa gen. intelligentsiansa genitive intelligentsiansa intelligentsioidensa intelligentsioittensa intelligentsiainsa rare partitive intelligentsiaansa intelligentsioitaan intelligentsioitansa inessive intelligentsiassaan intelligentsiassansa intelligentsioissaan intelligentsioissansa elative intelligentsiastaan intelligentsiastansa intelligentsioistaan intelligentsioistansa illative intelligentsiaansa intelligentsioihinsa adessive intelligentsiallaan intelligentsiallansa intelligentsioillaan intelligentsioillansa ablative intelligentsialtaan intelligentsialtansa intelligentsioiltaan intelligentsioiltansa allative intelligentsialleen intelligentsiallensa intelligentsioilleen intelligentsioillensa essive intelligentsianaan intelligentsianansa intelligentsioinaan intelligentsioinansa translative intelligentsiakseen intelligentsiaksensa intelligentsioikseen intelligentsioiksensa abessive intelligentsiattaan intelligentsiattansa intelligentsioittaan intelligentsioittansa instructive — — comitative — intelligentsioineen intelligentsioinensa

Synonyms

• älymystö (intellectuals as a group)
• (in East Europe): intelligentsija

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /in.te.li.ʒɛnt.sja/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

intelligentsia f (plural intelligentsias)

1. intelligentsia

Further reading

• “intelligentsia”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija), from Latin intellegentia (“intelligence”). Doublet of inteligência.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.si.ɐ/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sɪ.ɐ], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sjɐ/, /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.si.ɐ/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sɪ.ɐ], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sjɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.si.ɐ/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sɪ.ɐ], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sjɐ/, /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.si.ɐ/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sɪ.ɐ], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sjɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.si.a/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sɪ.a], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽt.sja/, /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.si.a/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sɪ.a], (faster pronunciation) /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽt.sja/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ĩ.tɛ.liˈɡẽ.tsjɐ/ [ĩ.tɛ.liˈɣẽ.tsjɐ], /ĩ.tɛ.liˈʒẽ.tsjɐ/

Noun

intelligentsia f (plural intelligentsias)

1. (politics) intelligentsia (the intellectual elite of a society, particularly in Marxist doctrine)

Further reading

• “intelligentsia”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
• “intelligentsia”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

Swedish

Alternative forms

• intelligentia

Etymology

From Russian интеллиге́нция (intelligéncija), from Latin intellegentia (“intelligence”).

Noun

intelligentsia c

1. intelligentsia

Declension

Declension of intelligentsia

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	intelligentsia	intelligentsias
	definite	intelligentsian	intelligentsians
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

References

• intelligentsia in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)