v.
Pronunciation: ˌ käm-pri- ' hend, -pr ē -
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French comprendre, comprehendre, from Latin comprehendere, from com- + prehendere to grasp ― more at GET
Date: 14th century
1 : to grasp the nature, significance, or meaning of <unable to comprehend what has happened>
2 : to contain or hold within a total scope, significance, or amount <philosophy's scope comprehend s the truth of everything which man may understand ― H. O. Taylor>
3 : to include by construction or implication <does not prudence comprehend all the virtues? ― Thomas B. Silver>
synonyms see UNDERSTAND , INCLUDE
– com · pre · hend · ible \ - ' hen-d ə -b ə l \ adjective