con·scious·ness 
/ˈkɑ:nʃəsnəs/ noun
plural con·scious·ness·es /ˈkɑ:nʃəsnəs/ noun 1 [noncount] : the condition of being conscious : the normal state of being awake and able to understand what is happening around you
▪ She experienced a brief loss of consciousness. = She lost consciousness [=became unconscious] briefly. ▪ He slowly regained consciousness [=became conscious again; woke up] after the surgery. 2 a : a person's mind and thoughts [count] — usually singular ▪ The realization first entered my consciousness when I was a young child. ▪ The memory was forever etched in her consciousness. [noncount] ▪ The medication caused her to enter an altered state of consciousness. — see also stream of consciousness
b [noncount] : knowledge that is shared by a group of people
▪ The events have become part of the national consciousness. ▪ a crisis that has faded from the public consciousness [=that the public no longer remembers or thinks about] 3 : awareness or knowledge of something specified [count] — usually singular ▪ a magazine that aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers [=to make teenagers more aware of political issues] ▪ I was impressed by his consciousness of our situation. ▪ She developed a strong social consciousness. [=she became aware of important social issues] [noncount] ▪ He hopes that he can raise public consciousness of the disease.
▪ She experienced a brief loss of consciousness. = She lost consciousness [=became unconscious] briefly. ▪ He slowly regained consciousness [=became conscious again; woke up] after the surgery.
b [noncount] : knowledge that is shared by a group of people
▪ The events have become part of the national consciousness. ▪ a crisis that has faded from the public consciousness [=that the public no longer remembers or thinks about]
