English Reference
Noun

acuity

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US /əkˈjuəti/ UK /ɐkjˈuːɪti/ acu·ity UK spelling acuities

n.the ability to see, hear, or think very clearly and precisely. It describes how sharp or accurate your senses or mind are.

n.the quality of being sharp or keen, especially in the senses of sight or hearing, or in the ability to think and judge clearly. Often used in medical or psychological contexts to describe sensory or cognitive sharpness.


SIMPLE

The doctor tested her visual acuity to see if she needed glasses.

CONTEXTUAL

The detective's sharp mental acuity allowed him to spot the tiny clue that everyone else had missed.

COMPLEX

While the artist's technical skill was undeniable, it was his emotional acuity that truly brought the portrait to life, capturing the subtle tension in the subject's gaze.

Usage visual acuity

These molecules target ON-bipolar neurons and restored saccadic eye movements (optokinetic reflex) in blinded zebrafish larvae, a model commonly used to investigate visual acuity.

ScienceDaily· 28 Aug 2026

From Middle English acuite, acuyte, from Middle French acuité, from Medieval Latin acuitas, irreg., from Latin acuō (“sharpen”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin acuō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated