ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈhenchən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French compréhension, from Latin comprehension-, comprehensio, from comprehensus (past participle of comprehendere ) + -ion-, -io -ion
1.
a. : the act or action of comprehending or comprising or the fact of being comprehended or comprised : inclusion
the comprehension of many items within a single book
b. : the faculty or capability of including : comprehensiveness
a concept whose comprehension is so broad as to cover all other concepts
2.
a. : the act or action of grasping (as an idea or process) with the intellect : understanding
a real comprehension of all difficulties
b. : the resultant of comprehending mentally : apperceptive knowledge or knowing
he has not the slightest comprehension of the subject
c. : the capacity or power of the mind for understanding fully
some readers are dull of comprehension — W.M.Thackeray
3. obsolete : summary , epitome
4. obsolete : a physical grasping (of something) : compression
5. logic : the totality of attributes that make up the notion signified by a general term : the sum of the characteristics distinguishing a class : intension , connotation
6. : inclusion of nonconformists in the Church of England by widening the terms of communion (as by legal enactment during the 17th century)