1. Pertaining to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes: Cognitive development in a child can be seen in his or her ability to think in order to solve problems.
2. Relating to acquiring knowledge by the use of thought processes of intuition or perceptions: Sharon had a premonition or cognitive discernment of what could happen if she pealed an apple too fast, so she pared it slowly to avoid cutting herself.