wisdom
Americannoun
-
the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
- Synonyms:
- understanding, sense
- Antonyms:
- stupidity
-
scholarly knowledge or learning.
the wisdom of the schools.
- Synonyms:
- enlightenment, erudition, sapience
- Antonyms:
- ignorance
-
wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
-
a wise act or saying.
-
(initial capital letter) Wisdom of Solomon.
noun
-
the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight
-
accumulated knowledge, erudition, or enlightenment
-
archaic a wise saying or wise sayings or teachings
-
obsolete soundness of mind
Related Words
See information.
Other Word Forms
- wisdomless adjective
Etymology
Origin of wisdom
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English wīsdōm; cognate with Old Norse vīsdōmr, German Weistum. See wise 1, -dom
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.
Jones is equally adept at the delicate prose, as in this description of a well-worn family Bible: “The paper, thin as butterfly wings, was heavy with wisdom.”
From Los Angeles Times
Though this is an unsatisfying ending, there is wisdom in it.
“Traditional central bank wisdom suggests that we should ‘look through’ tariffs.
From MarketWatch
“Traditional central bank wisdom suggests that we should ‘look through’ tariffs,” Waller said.
Riley repeated many of those same words Sunday, and added some more wisdom about life with the legends.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
