Word of the Day - 07/15/26
sagacity
/sə'ɡæsɪti/(n.): acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of judgment
The saga of the hero's sagacity, while demonstrative of his effective discernment, was so long that even the saguaro seemed to grow taller before it ended.
Word Origin
The word 'sagacity' originates from the Latin word 'sagacitas', meaning 'shrewdness' or 'discernment'. This is derived from 'sagar', meaning 'wise', 'shrewd', or 'quick of perception', which is related to 'sagire', 'to perceive quickly or keenly'. The Latin suffix '-acitas' (which becomes '-acity' in English) denotes a quality or state. Therefore, 'sagacity' can be broken down into 'sag-' (wise, quick perception) and '-acity' (state or quality).
Words with similar origins include 'sage' (a wise person), which comes from Latin 'sagus' and 'sagax', and 'presage', from Latin 'praesagire' (to perceive beforehand), combining 'prae-' (before) with 'sagire'. The adjective form 'sagacious' also shares this root.