noun
sapience
SAY-pee-uns/ˈseɪpiəns/
The capacity for wise, intelligent judgment.
Her sapience helps the team make difficult decisions under pressure.
Etymology
Latin sapientia joined “good taste” with “good sense” and wisdom. Its underlying verb sapere meant both “to taste” and “to be wise,” connecting sound judgment with discerning the value of things.
More examples
- Age alone does not guarantee sapience.
- The judge shows sapience by considering both fairness and consequences.
- We value her sapience when a problem has no easy answer.
Forms
sapience
sapient adjective — Showing wisdom and sound judgment.
Similar words
- wisdom
- The ordinary term for sound judgment, often grounded in experience.
- discernment
- Emphasizes recognizing important differences and judging subtle details accurately.