WORD OF THE DAY: Acuity
[ə-KYOO-ə-dee]
Part of speech: Noun
Origin: Late Middle English, 16th century
Definition: Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing.
Examples of Acuity in a sentence
“Jonah’s natural acuity made him a model student.”
“The optician had noticed a worrying decline in the acuity of Martha’s sight in recent years.”
About Acuity
Acuity comes from the Latin “acuere” meaning “sharpen.” The word “acuere” is found in medieval Latin as “acuitas,” and in Old French as “acuite.”
Did you Know?
Acuity” shares the same Latin root word as “acute,” a word which, depending on context, can have a similar meaning. “Acute” can mean “having or showing a perceptive insight,” but it can also mean, “experienced to a severe or intense degree.” It has a third meaning as well; “acute” refers to an angle of less than 90 degrees.
