First Known Use: 1607
Dictionary
sagacious
adjective sa·ga·cious \sə-ˈgā-shəs, si-\
: having or showing an ability to understand difficult ideas and situations and to make good decisions
Full Definition of SAGACIOUS
1
obsolete : keen in sense perception
2
a : of keen and farsighted penetration and judgment : discerning <sagacious judge of character> b : caused by or indicating acute discernment <sagacious purchase of stock>
— sa·ga·cious·ly adverb
— sa·ga·cious·ness noun
See sagacious defined for English-language learners
See sagacious defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of SAGACIOUS
- … the winner is praised for his sagacious grasp of the hopes and anxieties of the public, the loser is excoriated for the many and obvious blunders that derailed his candidacy … —Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2000
- It has allowed him to pre-empt conservative political attacks, to appear sagacious despite his inexperience… —Alan Tonelson, Atlantic, June 1993
- With commendably sagacious foresight, I sneaked spoils as well to the elders of key Judean cities whose good will I was cultivating for the future … —Joseph Heller, God Knows, 1984
- It has been suggested that we go to sleep at night because it is then too dark to do anything else; but owls, who are a venerably sagacious folk, do not sleep in the night-time. —James Stephens, The Crock of Gold, 1912
- [+]more
Origin of SAGACIOUS
Latin sagac-, sagax, from sagire to perceive keenly; akin to Latin sagus prophetic — more at seek
Related to SAGACIOUS
- Synonyms
- discerning, insightful, perceptive, prudent, wise, sage, sapient
- Antonyms
- unperceptive, unwise
Synonym Discussion of SAGACIOUS
shrewd, sagacious, perspicacious, astute mean acute in perception and sound in judgment. shrewd stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment <a shrewd judge of character>. sagacious suggests wisdom, penetration, and farsightedness <sagacious investors got in on the ground floor>. perspicacious implies unusual power to see through and understand what is puzzling or hidden <a perspicacious counselor saw through the child's facade>. astute suggests shrewdness, perspicacity, and diplomatic skill <an astute player of party politics>.
Rhymes with SAGACIOUS
audacious, bodacious, capacious, cetaceous, crustaceous, curvaceous, drupaceous, edacious, fallacious, flirtatious, fugacious, hellacious, herbaceous, loquacious, mendacious, micaceous, pomaceous, predaceous, pugnacious, rapacious, rosaceous, salacious, sebaceous, sequacious, setaceous, tenacious, testaceous, tufaceous, ungracious, veracious, vinaceous, voracious
SAGACIOUS Defined for Kids
sagacious
adjective sa·ga·cious \sə-ˈgā-shəs\
Definition of SAGACIOUS for Kids
: quick and wise in understanding and judging
Learn More About SAGACIOUS
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up sagacious? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).