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• sage
  sage

  noun

  a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom.
• Sage
  Sage

  noun

  Russell, 1816–1906, U.S. financier.

sage

¹ American  

[seyj] / seɪdʒ /

noun

1. a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom.

   Synonyms:

   philosopher

   Antonyms:

   fool

2. someone venerated for the possession of wisdom, judgment, and experience.

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adjective

sager, sagest

1. wise, judicious, or prudent.

   sage advice.

   Synonyms:

   sagacious

sage ² American  

[seyj] / seɪdʒ /

noun

1. any plant or shrub belonging to the genus Salvia, of the mint family.

2. an herb, Salvia officinalis, whose grayish-green leaves are used medicinally and in cooking.

3. the leaves of the medicinal and culinary herb Salvia officinalis.

4. sagebrush.

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Sage ³ American  

[seyj] / seɪdʒ /

noun

1. Russell, 1816–1906, U.S. financier.

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sage ¹ British  

/ seɪdʒ /

noun

1. a man revered for his profound wisdom

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adjective

1. profoundly wise or prudent

2. obsolete solemn

sage ² British  

/ seɪdʒ /

noun

1. a perennial Mediterranean plant, Salvia officinalis, having grey-green leaves and purple, blue, or white flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)

2. the leaves of this plant, used in cooking for flavouring

3. short for sagebrush

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Other Word Forms

• sageness
  noun
• sagely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sage¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin sapius (unattested), from Latin sap(ere) “to taste, have taste, smell, smell of; to have sense, discern, know, be wise” + -idus; see origin at sapient, -id ⁴

Origin of sage²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English sa ( u ) ge, from Middle French sau ( l ) ge, from Latin salvia, derivative of salvus safe (so named from its supposed healing powers)

Explanation

Use the word sage for someone or something wise and judicious. Thanks to the sage advice of your friend, you didn't write your teacher an angry e-mail! Although you might think of a wizard when you hear the word sage, really it means a wise man. Today you see it used to refer to someone who has insight in a particular field. If someone is a policy sage, he knows just what advice to give politicians to make them understand the issue and respond successfully to it. In a totally unrelated use, there is also a plant called sage that is useful in home remedies and cooking.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sage Sage sager sagest

The colorful aesthetic follows into the kitchen, which is adorned with sage green cabinetry, a wooden island, and state-of-the-art appliances.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

She hopes the golden yarrow will spread, and she’s especially proud of the large white sage she grew from seeds that a friend gave her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Lee reaches to sniff some hardy Cleveland sage 4.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Upon entering the home, guests are greeted with an expansive living area that features wooden beams on the ceiling, French doors that open up to the balcony, a cozy fireplace, and a sage green bar.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

Blue and dusty pink wild sage flowered among the trees.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

New Palace manager Pierre Sage will hope the club rebuffs any potential suitors.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

With speculative dollar longs already looking stretched, even a small shift in rate-hike expectations could spur a substantial reversal, according to Thomas Urano, co-chief investment officer at Sage Advisory.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

My brother Jay is 12 years older, and my sister, Sage, is nine years older.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

The four of us were raised in two sets—Jay and Sage, and Bruce and me.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

“No, secretary makes the birthday calendar,” Sage told her.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Fox News’ Jessica sager contributed to this report.

From Fox News ● Aug. 28, 2019

Stonyhurst's sager Jesuits were more up to date in their psychology.

From Time Magazine Archive

If they could trust his sincerity, Republicans could have found no sager counselor than Charley Michelson.

From Time Magazine Archive

The same day, his wife decided she should leave him for a slimmer, sager man.

From Time Magazine Archive

No sager counsel from so young in years e’er yet have I heard.

From Beowulf by Francis Barton Gummere

But joining the Little Red Book author in a shrine to the all-time sagest minds in golf would be his English counterpart, John Jacobs.

From Golf Digest ● Oct. 16, 2013

"By 1997 some filmmakers will have been absorbed into Hollywood," says Norman Wang, a New York-based film publicist and one of the Hong Kong industry's sagest insiders.

From Time Magazine Archive

Petrolle is one of the ring's sagest fighters.

From Time Magazine Archive

Perhaps not the sagest fellow to counsel the future Queen.

From Time Magazine Archive

“The impressions he made upon me suggested he was not of the sagest, nor of the most excellent of men.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson