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wisdom

n.
US //ˈwɪzdəm// UK //wˈɪsdəm// wis·dom
  1. 1 good judgment (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make sensible decisions and judgments.

    the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

    Example

    He had the wisdom to stop the argument before it got out of control.

    Example

    The elder's wisdom was sought by the entire community, as she possessed a rare ability to balance historical precedent with modern necessity.
  2. 2 wise advice (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a specific piece of advice or a wise saying.

    a specific instance of wise advice or a profound teaching. Countable in this usage.

    Example

    My grandfather shared his pearls of wisdom with me before I left for college.

    Example

    The book is a collection of ancient wisdoms that have been passed down through oral traditions for centuries.
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  1. 3 accepted opinion (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    the ideas or beliefs that most people in a particular group accept as true.

    the body of knowledge or principles generally accepted by a group or society, often used in the phrase 'conventional wisdom'.

    Example

    Conventional wisdom says that you should save ten percent of your income.

    Example

    The researcher challenged the conventional wisdom of the department, arguing that the data actually pointed toward a much more complex conclusion.
  2. 4 spiritual truth (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Religion

    the ability to understand and follow deep spiritual or religious truths.

    the capacity to perceive and apply spiritual or transcendent truths. Often used in theological or philosophical contexts.

    Example

    The monk spent years in silence seeking divine wisdom.

    Example

    The text explores the intersection of human reason and divine wisdom, questioning whether the latter can ever be fully grasped by the former.
  3. 5 wisdom tooth (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Medicine

    a short way of saying 'wisdom tooth'.

    a colloquial ellipsis for 'wisdom tooth', referring to the third molar. Typically used in the plural.

    Example

    I have to go to the dentist to get my wisdoms pulled next week.

    Example

    After the X-ray, the surgeon confirmed that all four wisdoms were impacted and would require immediate extraction.
Origin

From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom”), Dutch wijsdom (“wisdom”), German Weistum (“legal sentence”), Danish/Norwegian/Swedish visdom (“wisdom”), Icelandic vísdómur (“wisdom”).

Idioms1 entry

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