Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

wisdom

 - 3 dictionary results

wis⋅dom

[wiz-duhm]
–noun
1. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.
3. wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
4. a wise act or saying.
5. (initial capital letter) Douay Bible. Wisdom of Solomon.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME, OE wīsdōm; c. ON vīsdōmr, G Weistum. See wise 1 , -dom


wis⋅dom⋅less, adjective


1. sense, understanding. 2. sapience, erudition, enlightenment. See information.


1. stupidity. 2. ignorance.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To wisdom
wis·dom   (wĭz'dəm)   
n.  
  1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.

  2. Common sense; good judgment: "It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things" (Henry David Thoreau).

    1. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: "In those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations" (Maya Angelou).

    2. Wise teachings of the ancient sages.

  3. A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.

  4. Wisdom Bible Wisdom of Solomon.


[Middle English, from Old English wīsdōm; see weid- in Indo-European roots.]
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

wisdom 
O.E. wisdom, from wis (see wise (adj.)) + -dom. A common Gmc. compound (cf. O.S., O.Fris. wisdom, O.N. visdomr, O.H.G. wistuom "wisdom," Ger. Weistum "judicial sentence serving as a precedent"). Wisdom teeth so called from 1848 (earlier teeth of wisdom, 1668), a loan-translation of L. dentes sapientiæ, itself a loan-transl. of Gk. sophronisteres (used by Hippocrates, from sophron "prudent, self-controlled"), so called because they usually appear ages 17-25, when a person reaches adulthood.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see wisdom on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: