1. familiarity, understanding; something that is known; wisdom; learning, education; awareness, cognizance. knowledgeknowledge , n. [oe. knowlage, knowlege, knowleche, knawleche. the last part is the icel. suffix -leikr, forming abstract nouns, orig. the same as icel. leikr game, play, sport, akin to as. lāc, goth. laiks dance. see: know, and cf. lake, v. i., lark a frolic.]