WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
per•cip•i•ent
(pər sip′ē ənt),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
per•cip′i•ence, per•cip′i•en•cy, n.
- perceiving or capable of perceiving.
- having perception;
discerning;
discriminating:a percipient choice of wines.
n.
- a person or thing that perceives.
- Latin percipient- (stem of percipiēns) present participle of percipere to take in, equivalent. to per- per- + -cipi- combining form of present stem of capere to take + -ent- -ent
- 1655–65