sapient

[sey-pee-uhnt] Origin

sa·pi·ent

[sey-pee-uhnt]
adjective
having or showing great wisdom or sound judgment.

Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English sapyent < Latin sapient- (stem of sapiēns, present participle of sapere to be wise, literally, to taste, have taste), equivalent to sapi- verb stem + -ent- -ent

sa·pi·ence, sa·pi·en·cy, noun
sa·pi·ent·ly, adverb
un·sa·pi·ent, adjective
un·sa·pi·ent·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Sapient is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
sapient (ˈseɪpɪənt)
 
adj
ironic often wise or sagacious
 
[C15: from Latin sapere to taste]
 
'sapience
 
n
 
'sapiently
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

sapient
"wise," 1468, from O.Fr. sapient, from L. sapientem (nom. sapiens), prp. of sapere "to taste, have taste, be wise," from PIE base *sep- "to taste, perceive" (cf. O.S. an-sebban "to perceive, remark," O.H.G. antseffen, O.E. sefa "mind, understanding, insight"). Sapience "wisdom, understanding" is recorded
EXPAND
from c.1300.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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