wisdom (ˈwɪzdəm
)
Definitions
noun
- the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight
- accumulated knowledge, erudition, or enlightenment
- archaic a wise saying or wise sayings or teachings
- obsolete soundness of mind
related adjective
sagacious
Word Origin
Old English wīsdōm; see wiseOld English see 1, , -domSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
understanding,
learning,
knowledge,
intelligence,
smarts,
judgment,
insight,
enlightenment,
penetration,
comprehension,
foresight,
erudition,
discernment,
sagacity,
sound judgment
sapience,
Quotations
"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers"
"Wisdom denotes the pursuing of the best ends by the best means"
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook"
"Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so"
"wise enough to play the fool"
"The price of wisdom is above rubies"
Bible: Job"Some folks are wise, and some are otherwise"
"But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?"
Bible: Job"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding"
Bible: Proverbs"It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen"
"Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs"
Translations
- British English:
wisdom
Wisdom is the ability to use your experience and knowledge to make sensible decisions and judgments....the patience and wisdom that comes from old age.ˈwɪzdəm NOUN ...the patience and wisdom that comes from old age.
- Spanish:
sabiduría
nf
- French: sagesse nf
- German:
Weisheit
nf
- Chinese: 智慧 n
- Arabic: حِكْمَة n
- Portuguese: sabedoria nf
- Russian: мудрость nf
- Croatian: mudrost nf
- Czech: moudrost nf
- Danish: visdom nutr
- Dutch: wijsheid nf
- Finnish: viisaus n
- Greek: σοφία nf
- Italian: saggezza nf
- Japanese: 賢明 n
- Korean: 지혜 n
- Norwegian: klokhet nm
- Polish: mądrość nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: sabedoria nf
- European Spanish:
sabiduría
nf
- Swedish: visdom nutr
- Thai: สติปัญญา ความเฉลียวฉลาด n
- Turkish: zeka n
- Vietnamese: sự thông thái n
Usage examples
Man could not forget what Ned Ward had said to him about the hidden wisdom of apparent madness.
, Man's Loving Family (1986)Many have questioned the wisdom of allowing 18-year-old gap year students to travel for six or 12 months unsupervised.
Spiked (2002)The conventional wisdom is that young people are not interested in what is happening on this island, or interested in politics.
Irish Times (2002)The bonus here is that many of the treasures are filled with pearls of wisdom.
Glasgow Herald (2001)I had provisionally accepted the wisdom of Kipling's No man knows England, who only England knows.
, TUNNEL VISIONS: Journeys of an Underground Philosopher (2001)