nous
n.n. the ability to think clearly and make good judgments. It is a more formal or philosophical way to say 'common sense'.
n. the faculty of reason or common sense; the ability to make sound judgments. Often used in philosophical contexts to distinguish between practical wisdom and abstract logic.
He has a lot of nous and always knows the right thing to do.
The manager praised the team for their nous in identifying the problem before it caused any major damage.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek νοῦς (noûs) or νόος (nóos, “mind”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026