acuity
Americannoun
noun
-
keenness or acuteness, esp in vision or thought
-
the capacity of the eye to see fine detail, measured by determining the finest detail that can just be detected
Other Word Forms
- hyperacuity noun
- nonacuity noun
Etymology
Origin of acuity
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English acuite, from Old French, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin acuitās, equivalent to Latin acu(ere) to sharpen or acū ( tus ) sharpened ( acute ) + -itās -ity
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“While these pressures are not new, they are becoming harder to absorb as patient needs grow more complex, driven by an aging population, higher acuity, and shifting patient expectations.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026
These essays show she lost none of her acuity in her final years.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
I just think when you have a lot of quick sketching acuity, word gets out.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025
And, just in case a few of those pesky radicals slip through the cracks, train in Krav Maga and keep a strict diet and exercise regimen to maintain optimal mental and physical acuity.
From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025
My time on the prairie has shown me that age has very little to do with one’s mental acuity or physical ability.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
