perspicacity

  • 1Perspicacity — Per spi*cac i*ty, n. [L. perspicacitas: cf. F. perspicacit[ e]. See {Perspicacious}.] The state of being perspicacious; acuteness of sight or of intelligence; acute discernment. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2perspicacity — I noun acuity, acumen, acute discernment, acuteness, astuteness, capacity, clear thinking, clear thought, clear vision, discernment, discretion, discrimination, farsightedness, insight, judgment, ken, perception, perceptiveness, sagacity, sense,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 3perspicacity — 1540s, from M.Fr. perspicacité (15c.), from L.L. perspicacitas sharp sightedness, discernment, from L. perspicax sharp sighted, from perspicere look through (see PERSPECTIVE (Cf. perspective)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4perspicacity — n. the perspicacity to + inf. (she had enough perspicacity to see through their schemes) * * * the perspicacity to + inf. (she had enough perspicacity to see through their schemes) …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 5perspicacity — noun /ˌpɜːr.spɪˈkæs.ə.tiː/ a) Acute discernment or understanding; insight. I understand, I said. The fact is that you have the money. His face brightened. He seemed pleased at my perspicacity. b) The human faculty or power to mentally grasp or… …

    Wiktionary

  • 6perspicacity — perspicacious ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having a ready insight into and understanding of things. DERIVATIVES perspicaciously adverb perspicacity noun. ORIGIN from Latin perspicax seeing clearly …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7perspicacity, perspicuity —    Perspicacity means shrewdness and applies to people ( a perspicacious judge of character ). Perspecu ity means easily understood and applies to things ( a perspicuous explanation ). In both cases, a simpler synonym shrewd for the first, clear… …

    Dictionary of troublesome word

  • 8perspicacity, perspicuity —    Perspicacity means shrewdness and applies to people ( a perspicacious judge of character ). Perspecu ity means easily understood and applies to things ( a perspicuous explanation ). In both cases, a simpler synonym shrewd for the first, clear… …

    Dictionary of troublesome word

  • 9perspicacity — noun see perspicacious …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 10perspicacity — /perr spi kas i tee/, n. 1. keenness of mental perception and understanding; discernment; penetration. 2. Archaic. keen vision. [1540 50; earlier perspicacite < LL perspicacitas sharpness of sight, equiv. to perspicaci (s. of perspicax sharp&#8230; …

    Universalium