insipience

American  

[in-sip-ee-uhns] / ɪnˈsɪp i əns /

noun

Archaic.

1. lack of wisdom; foolishness.

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insipience British  

/ ɪnˈsɪpɪəns /

noun

1. archaic lack of wisdom

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Other Word Forms

• insipient adjective
• insipiently adverb

Etymology

Origin of insipience

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin insipientia “foolishness,” equivalent to insipient- stem of insipiēns “foolish” ( in- in- ³ + -sipient-, combining form of sapient- sapient ) + -ia; see -ence

Example Sentences

He had exhausted his powers of characteristic discrimination in the heads of the apostles; and in his attempt to give meekness to the countenance of Jesus, he sank into insipience.

From The Life, Studies, and Works of Benjamin West, Esq. Composed from Materials Furnished by Himself by Galt, John

Their anfractuousness, their insipience, and their turpitude, are no longer amphibological.

From Deformities of Samuel Johnson, Selected from his Works by Anonymous