perspicacious

discerning; perceptive: a perspicacious observation; acute; shrewd; penetrating

Not to be confused with:

perspicuous – clearly expressed; lucid, plain, distinct: perspicuous building, explicit, intelligible: an intelligible report

per·spi·ca·cious

(pûr′spĭ-kā′shəs)

adj.

Having or showing penetrating mental discernment; clear-sighted. See Synonyms at shrewd.

[From Latin perspicāx, perspicāc-, from perspicere, to look through; see perspective.]

per′spi·ca′cious·ly adv.

per′spi·ca′cious·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

perspicacious

(ˌpɜːspɪˈkeɪʃəs)

adj

1. acutely perceptive or discerning

2. archaic having keen eyesight

[C17: from Latin perspicax, from perspicere to look at closely; see perspective]

ˌperspiˈcaciously adv

perspicacity, ˌperspiˈcaciousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

per•spi•ca•cious

(ˌpɜr spɪˈkeɪ ʃəs)

adj.

having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning.

[1610–20; < Latin perspicāx, s. perspicāc-; see perspicuous, -acious]

per`spi•ca′cious•ly, adv.

per`spi•cac′i•ty (-ˈkæs ɪ ti) per`spi•ca′cious•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	perspicacious - acutely insightful and wise; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious argument"; "observant and thoughtful, he was given to asking sagacious questions"; "a source of valuable insights and sapient advice to educators" sagacious, sapient wise - having or prompted by wisdom or discernment; "a wise leader"; "a wise and perceptive comment"
	2.	perspicacious - mentally acute or penetratingly discerning; "too clear-eyed not to see what problems would follow"; "chaos could be prevented only by clear-sighted leadership"; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by so spurious an argument" clear-eyed, clear-sighted discerning - having or revealing keen insight and good judgment; "a discerning critic"; "a discerning reader"

perspicacious

adjective (Formal) perceptive, aware, sharp, keen, acute, alert, clever, penetrating, shrewd, discerning, astute, observant, clear-sighted, percipient, sharp-witted, sagacious a man of perspicacious judgment

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

perspicacious

adjective

Having or showing a clever awareness and resourcefulness in practical matters:

astute, cagey, canny, knowing, shrewd, slick, smart, wise.

Informal: savvy.

Translations

scharfsinnig

οξυδερκής

perspicaz perspicaces

tarkkanäköinen

perspicace

perspicace perspicacia

bystry

зоркий проницательный

klarsynt

perspicacious

[ˌpɜːspɪˈkeɪʃəs] ADJ (frm) → perspicaz

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

perspicacious

[ˌpɜː^rspɪˈkeɪʃəs] adj (= perceptive) → perspicace

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

perspicacious

adj person, remark etc → scharfsinnig; decision → weitsichtig

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

perspicacious

[ˌpɜːspɪˈkeɪʃəs] adj (frm) → perspicace

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

added Newman, with an eagerness which might have made a perspicacious observer smile.

View in context

The perspicacious reader will recall that, at the start of every mango season, there are passionate references in the national press to our mango export campaign.

Pakistan's mango diplomacy!

Perhaps, the time may be ripe for the perspicacious observer to sift the grain from the chaff and, thereafter, to formulate an intelligent inference whether or not the BJP leader intends to carry out his pre-election rhetoric to the letter or, alternatively, to don the mantle of responsible governance in his second term if re-elected.

If Modi gets re-elected!

As part of the disruptive innovations in Spanish-language literature for which he is largely responsible, Vila-Matas devotes more energy to perspicacious and novel readings of classics like Kafka, Joyce, Walser, Nabokov, Beckett, Savinio, and the Oulipo group; Borges, Rulfo, Cortazar, Monterroso, and Pitol among the Latin Americans; to recent masters like Banville, Perec, and Coetzee; and to canonical forerunners like Cervantes, Stevenson, Proust, and Simenon.

Enrique Vila-Matas: Impon tu suerte

Would the perspicacious reader vouch that as an organisation the OIC is still in business?

Is Oic still in business?

In a perspicacious tweet, someone wrote of how the men who have come forward with their allegations of assault in the Catholic church have never been second-guessed.

On lessons learned, across the pond

Goldblum briefly reprises his role as Ian Malcolm, the grumpy but perspicacious chaos mathematician from the first and second films, to make his case for letting the big, scary lizards die off.

'Fallen Kingdom' caps 25 years of 'Jurassic' thrills

He wished Prince Khalifa everlasting wellbeing and Bahraini people welfare and advancement under the perspicacious leadership of King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa.

His Highness Crown Prince receives phone call from Bahraini Premier

"I strongly believe that the future of my country is bright and promising with its rich historical statehood policy encouraged by the brave spirit of the Azerbaijani nation and a resolute and perspicacious leadership that has a clear agenda of making Azerbaijan a highly developed country," he said.

'Azerbaijan flourishes from history of democracy'

It may not have the enduring likability or the perspicacious comeuppance of other catfights inspired by the Dorina vs Lavinia duel, but Lovi and Erich acquit themselves well in their respective roles.

More 'Significant' than expected

Perspicacious. That's the first word that comes to mind when I look at young Jamie Travers.

Witnessing the coming of Chef Gandalf

AndrA[c]e the narrator also stands out for her perspicacious nature and captivating narration.

Boundary; The Last Summer