iq

IPA/ˌaɪ ˈkjuː/
KK[ˈaɪkjˈu]IPA/ˌaɪ ˈkjuː/

iq — noun

  • iqsingular
  • iqsplural

1. a number that shows how intelligent a person is, based on their results in a spe

1.nounB2
Definition

a number that shows how intelligent a person is, based on their results in a specially designed test; IQ is short for 'intelligence quotient'

Example

Lakshmi scored 135 on the IQ test, placing her in the top two percent.

collocation: IQ test / IQ score

The school uses IQ scores to find students who may need extra learning support.

collocation: IQ score

Common collocations
  • high IQ
  • low IQ
  • average IQ
  • IQ test
  • IQ score
  • IQ level
  • IQ of 120 / 130 etc.
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

have + a(n) + [adjective] + IQ

IQ + test / score / level

Usage Note

IQ is an abbreviation for 'intelligence quotient' and is nearly always written in capital letters, even in the middle of a sentence. It can be used as a countable noun when referring to a specific test result ('an IQ of 120'), or as an uncountable noun when talking about the concept in general ('IQ is measured through standardized tests').

Common Mistakes

My IQ is very big.
My IQ is very high.
We describe IQ as 'high' or 'low', not 'big' or 'small'.
She has a good IQ.
She has a high IQ.
'Good' is vague; use 'high' for above-average scores.

Word family

  • intelligence quotient
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'IQ' and 'intelligence quotient' refer to the same concept, but they differ in register and typical use. 'IQ' is the everyday abbreviation — you will see it in news articles, school reports, and casual conversation ('He has a high IQ'). 'Intelligence quotient' is the formal, clinical term used in psychology journals, diagnostic manuals, and academic writing ('The test measures the intelligence quotient of children aged 6–16'). In most learner situations, 'IQ' is the natural choice; reserve 'intelligence quotient' for formal contexts where the full term is expected.

IQ ↗intelligence quotient

Common collocations

Nouns

  • IQ test
  • IQ score
  • IQ level
  • IQ range

Phrases

  • have a high / low IQ
  • score X on an IQ test
  • an IQ of X

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'IQ' is an abbreviation of the term 'intelligence quotient', which was introduced by the German psychologist William Stern in 1912. The word 'quotient' comes from Latin 'quotiens', meaning 'how many times' or 'how often', and entered English through French in the 15th century. Stern's formula divided a child's mental age (as measured by a test) by their chronological age and multiplied by 100 to get a round number — hence 'quotient'.

First known use

1915

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1