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.
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
Though some patients could make out patterns immediately, all patients' visual acuity improved over months of training.
From Science Daily • Oct. 22, 2025
Does he still have enough mental acuity to think deeply about his burger and his career favorite lie?
From Salon • Oct. 3, 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.
