acumen

[uh-kyoo-muhn, ak-yuh-]

noun

1. keen insight; shrewdness.

   remarkable acumen in business matters.

acumen

/ əˈkjuːmən, ˈækjʊˌmɛn /

noun

1. the ability to judge well; keen discernment; insight

Other Word Forms

• acuminous adjective
• unacuminous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of acumen¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin acūmen “sharpness,” from acū-, stem of acuere “to sharpen” ( acute ) + -men, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of acumen¹

C16: from Latin: sharpness, from acuere to sharpen, from acus needle

Example Sentences

"Their experience, leadership and technical acumen are what we need," Towriss said.

From BBC

And with each new project, Qualley has only refined the acumen of her already sharp talents.

From Salon

And their pace of expansion is insatiable – they bring with them a reliable supply chain, marketing acumen, and deep pockets that allow them to sacrifice profit.

From BBC

A drug dealer, brilliant in her business acumen, who could party all night and still seem sober, who remained tough and clear-headed well into the next afternoon on no sleep.

From Los Angeles Times

He is a humble and quietly spoken leader in the dressing room, dovetailing with the subtle acumen of head coach Shukri Conrad.

From BBC

Related Words

• acuity 
• awareness 
• brilliance 
• guile 
• ingenuity 
• insight 
• intellect 
• intelligence 
• intuition 
• judgment 
• sensitivity 
• shrewdness 
• vision 
• wisdom 
• wit