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
Derived Forms
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 ( see acute) + -itās -ity
Explanation
Acuity has to do with sharpness and smartness. Do you always get top grades in math? Then you have an acuity for numbers. People often talk about "mental acuity" which is a fancy way of saying intelligence, brains, or smartness. There are specific kinds of acuity, too. As people become very old, they tend to lose their acuity in many areas, including their vision, which is one reason very old people don't drive as well. A 40-year-old quarterback isn't going to have the same acuity for seeing receivers and throwing the ball as a 25-year-old quarterback.
Vocabulary lists containing acuity
Vocabulary from "Stop Expecting Games to Build Empathy" by Julie Muncy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unbroken
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Coming to Our Senses," Vocabulary from the science essay
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“That amount of energy and that amount of mental acuity does not exist in a vacuum.”
From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026
FDA documents describe it as a prescription device intended to improve visual acuity in patients with certain forms of dry AMD and without center involving geographic atrophy or neovascular maculopathy.
From Science Daily • May 27, 2026
Quinn told the Journal that “utilization and reimbursement levels can vary significantly based on patient acuity, service intensity and clinical needs nationwide by that measure,” and that his company followed Medicaid guidelines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
“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
Repeated exposure of an animal to the same odorant, in small doses, leads to great enhancement of acuity, suggesting the possibility that new receptor sites are added to the cells.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
