Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

sagacity

 - 3 dictionary results

sa⋅gac⋅i⋅ty

[suh-gas-i-tee]
–noun
acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment.

Origin:
1540–50; < L sagācitās wisdom, equiv. to sagāci- (s. of sagāx) wise (akin to seek ) + -tās -ty 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sagacity
sa·gac·i·ty   (sə-gās'ĭ-tē)   
n.  The quality of being discerning, sound in judgment, and farsighted; wisdom.

[French sagacité, from Old French sagacite, from Latin sagācitās, quickness of perception, from sagāx, sagāc-, of keen perception; see sagacious.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

sagacity 
1548, from M.Fr. sagacité, from L. sagacitatem (nom. sagacitas) "quality of being acute," from sagax (gen. sagacis) "of quick perception," related to sagus "prophetic," sagire "perceive keenly," from PIE base *sag- "to track down, trace, seek" (cf. O.E. secan "to seek;" see seek). Also used 17c.-18c. of animals, meaning "acute sense of smell."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see sagacity on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: