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Wisdom vs Perspicacity - What's the difference?

wisdom | perspicacity |

As nouns the difference between wisdom and perspicacity

is that wisdom is an element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise while perspicacity is acute discernment or understanding; insight.

As a proper noun Wisdom

is the Wisdom of Solomon, a book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh.

wisdom

English

(wikipedia wisdom)

Noun

  • (uncountable) An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
  • (countable) A piece of wise advice.
  • The discretionary use of knowledge for the greatest good.
  • The ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way, especially to different situations from that in which the knowledge was gained.
  • The ability to make a decision based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding.
  • (theology) The ability to know and apply spiritual truths.
  • * 1652 , , The Fame and Confe??ion of the Fraternity of…the Ro?ie Cro?s , pages 1–2 of the preface
    • Wi?dom …is to a man an infinite Trea?ure, for ?he is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; ?he is the Brightne?s of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Maje?ty of God, and an Image of his Goodne?s; ?he teacheth us Soberne?s and Prudence, Righteou?ne?s and Strength; ?he under?tands the Subtilty of words, and Solution of dark ?entences; ?he foreknoweth Signs and Wonders, and what ?hall happen in time to come.

    Synonyms

    * sagacity * sapience

    Antonyms

    * foolishness * folly

    Derived terms

    * conventional wisdom * pearl of wisdom * wisdom tooth

    Related terms

    * wise * wisehead * wiseness * Wissen (German)

    See also

    * morality English words suffixed with -dom ----

    perspicacity

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • Acute discernment or understanding; insight.
  • * 1904 , (Jack London), The Sea-Wolf , ch. 8:
    • "I understand," I said. "The fact is that you have the money." His face brightened. He seemed pleased at my perspicacity .
  • The human faculty or power to mentally grasp or understand clearly.
  • * 1856 , "Selections from the Letters of Robert Southey," The Quarterly Review , vol. 98, p. 458:
    • His very veneration for his father-in-law, combined as it is with a total want of the most ordinary perspicacity , is an additional disqualification.
  • * 1888 , "Review of La suggestion mentale'' by H. Bourru and P. Burot," ''The American Journal of Psychology , vol. 1 no. 3, p. 503:
    • As the former consists in the transmission of psychic states inappreciable to the normal perspicacity or senses, the transfer cannot pass through the medium of intelligence.
  • (obsolete) Keen eyesight.
  • * 1833 , John Harrison Curtis, A Treatise on the Physiology and Diseases of the Eye , London, Longman, p. 138:
    • Attentive consideration of the phenomena of vision has led to the invention of artificial aids by which the sight may be wonderfully strengthened and preserved, and man endowed at once with the perspicacity of the eagle or the minute scrutiny of the insect.

    Related terms

    * perspicaciousness * perspicuity

    References

    * * * * "perspicacity" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)