caution with regard to practical matters; discretion.
3.
regard for one's own interests.
4.
provident care in the management of resources; economy; frugality.
Origin: 1300–50;Middle English < Middle French < Latinprūdentia. See prudent, -ence
Related forms
non·pru·dence, noun
Synonyms 1. Prudence, calculation, foresight, forethought imply attempted provision against possible contingencies. Prudence is care, caution, and good judgment, as well as wisdom in looking ahead: sober prudence in handling one's affairs.Calculation suggests a disposition to get a large return for as small an outlay as possible and willingness to benefit at the expense of others: cold calculation.Foresight implies a prudent looking ahead rather far into the future: clear foresight in planning.Forethought emphasizes the adequacy of preparation for the future: Careful forethought helped him deal with the emergency.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
mid-14c., "wisdom to see what is virtuous, or what is suitable or profitable," from O.Fr. prudence (13c.), from L. prudentia "foresight, sagacity," contraction of providentia "foresight" (see providence). Secondary sense of "wisdom" (late 14c.) now only in jurisprudence.