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Origin and history of intuition

intuition(n.)

mid-15c., intuicioun, "insight, direct or immediate cognition, spiritual perception," originally theological, from Late Latin intuitionem (nominative intuitio) "a looking at, consideration," noun of action from past participle stem of Latin intueri "look at, consider," from in- "at, on" (from PIE root *en "in") + tueri "to look at, watch over" (see tutor (n.)).

also from mid-15c.

Entries linking to intuition

tutor(n.)

late 14c., in law, "a guardian of a boy or girl to protect interest and personal development," from Old French tuteor "guardian, private teacher" (13c., Modern French tuteur), from Latin tutorem (nominative tutor) "guardian, watcher," from tutus, variant past participle of tueri "watch over, look at," a word of uncertain origin.

Also from late 14c. as "one who has the care or instruction of another in learning or one of its branches, private instructor." The specific English university sense of "senior boy appointed to help a junior in his studies" is recorded from 1680s.

De Vaan suggests the sense evolution in Latin is from "to protect," and suggests connection with Sanskrit tavas- "strong, powerful," Greek sōs "safe, safe and sound, healthy," from a root meaning "to be strong."

Related: Tutorage, tutorship. Fem. form tutoress is attested from 1610s, tutress 1590s; in Latin form tutrix from 1510s; Caxton has tutrice (late 15c.).

intuit(v.)

1776, "to tutor," from Latin intuit-, past participle stem of intueri "look at, consider," from in- "at, on" (from PIE root *en "in") + tueri "to look at, watch over" (see tutor (n.)). Meaning "to perceive directly without reasoning, know by immediate perception" is from 1840 (De Quincey), in this sense perhaps a back-formation from intuition. Related: Intuited; intuiting.

*en

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "in."

It might form all or part of: and; atoll; dysentery; embargo; embarrass; embryo; empire; employ; en- (1) "in; into;" en- (2) "near, at, in, on, within;" enclave; endo-; enema; engine; enoptomancy; enter; enteric; enteritis; entero-; entice; ento-; entrails; envoy; envy; episode; esoteric; imbroglio; immolate; immure; impede; impend; impetus; important; impostor; impresario; impromptu; in; in- (2) "into, in, on, upon;" inchoate; incite; increase; inculcate; incumbent; industry; indigence; inflict; ingenuous; ingest; inly; inmost; inn; innate; inner; innuendo; inoculate; insignia; instant; intaglio; inter-; interim; interior; intern; internal; intestine; intimate (adj.) "closely acquainted, very familiar;" intra-; intricate; intrinsic; intro-; introduce; introduction; introit; introspect; invert; mesentery.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit antara- "interior;" Greek en "in," eis "into," endon "within;" Latin in "in, into," intro "inward," intra "inside, within;" Old Irish in, Welsh yn, Old Church Slavonic on-, Old English in "in, into," inne "within, inside."

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