Knowing

/ˈnoʊɪŋ/ verb, adjective

Definition

Understanding something as a fact; or an adjective meaning someone seems to know secrets or has understanding.

Etymology

From Old English 'cnawan,' from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to perceive' or 'to become acquainted with.' The word has barely changed in 1,500 years, suggesting how fundamental this concept is to human cognition.

Kelly Says

Knowing something is neurologically complicated—you can 'know' a fact consciously while your gut 'knows' something different through gut bacteria and vagal signals, suggesting humans have multiple, competing knowledge systems!

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