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Glite Dictionary
🧠 Wisdom 🤖 Machine wisdom
sapience

sapience

9.9
The ability to use knowledge and experience wisely
  • noun
  • /ˈseɪpiəns/
  • Formal
translation icon : sabiduría

Examples

  • Sapience, to the point you made above:

    Blog text (28)

  • We went up like a dream, with nothing between us and the drop, and unearthly varieties of sapience spread out below us.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Here is one of his digressions, this one on the subject of the wisdom of wounds, the sapience of many scars.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • His unique ability to apply his knowledge and understanding demonstrates a level of sapience that is rare in leaders.

  • The ancient philosophers were revered for their sapience and ability to guide the people with their wisdom.

  • Through years of study and experience, she gained sapience that helped her make sound decisions.

Synonyms

wisdom
vssapience
571 2.7

To use what you know and have learned to make good choices and give good advice

emphasizes deeper understanding and insight beyond practical decision making
wiseness
vssapience
1 7.5

Being experienced and able to make good choices

focuses on active application of knowledge understanding and insight

Antonyms

ignorance
316 3.9

Not knowing about something or how it works

foolishness
61 2.7

A lack of good sense or careful thought that causes bad choices

How Wise

sagacity
  • Formal
1 8.7
wisdom
571 2.7
sapience
  • Formal
9.9
foolishness
61 2.7
naivety
7 6.1

Surface Forms

sapience singular
sapiences plural

Morphology

sapience = sapient (semi-transparent) = sapient + ence

The noun is a regular '-ence' nominalization of the adjective 'sapient', but both forms are low-frequency and may be unfamiliar to many learners.

Etymology

Sapience comes from the Latin word sapere and the form sapiens, which meant 'to taste' and 'to have sense', and from this grew the idea of being a sage. Think of wisdom as a kind of 'good taste' in choices and judgement, so sapience means the ability to use knowledge and make wise decisions.