perspicacious
Americanadjective
-
having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning.
to exhibit perspicacious judgment.
- Synonyms:
- penetrating, shrewd, acute, perceptive
-
Archaic. having keen vision.
adjective
-
acutely perceptive or discerning
-
archaic having keen eyesight
Other Word Forms
- perspicaciously adverb
- perspicaciousness noun
- perspicacity noun
Etymology
Origin of perspicacious
First recorded in 1610–20; perspicaci(ty) + -ous
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.
Graham Robb’s “The Discovery of Britain” is a magnificently personal and perspicacious guide through his homeland.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
Smith has proven one of the most even-handed, perspicacious and insightful film critics out there.
From Fox News • Dec. 31, 2019
“Marona’s Fantastic Tale”: Whimsical and poignant, Anca Damian’s animated deep dive into the ruminations of a perspicacious dog stuns with mesmerizing design choices, an eclectic color palette and profound writing.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2019
But within these conventions, Coetzee is as perspicacious and erudite a guide as one could hope for.
From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2018
By then she had performed unfalteringly under the twins’ perspicacious scrutiny and had confounded all their expectations.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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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.