acuity
noun/əˈkjuːɪti/
Etymology From Middle English acuite, acuyte, from Middle French acuité, from Medieval Latin acuitas, irreg., from Latin acuō (“sharpen”).
1
Sharpness or acuteness, as of a needle, wit, etc.
2
Figuratively The ability to think, see, or hear clearly.
- The old woman with dementia lost her mental acuity.
- And yet [Ray] Dalio’s acuity prompts an awkward question: how much of Bridgewater’s success comes not from the way it is organized, or any notion of “radical transparency,” but from the boss’s raw investment abilities?2011 July 18, John Cassidy, “Mastering the Machine”, in The New Yorker, →ISSN:
1 more example
- Donald Trump’s frequently bizarre public appearances[…] have once again raised questions about his mental acuity, experts say. […] During his presidency, Joe Biden was subjected to intense speculation over his mental acuity – including from Trump.2025 August 3, Adam Gabbatt, “‘He has trouble completing a thought’: bizarre public appearances again cast doubt on Trump’s mental acuity”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
- Synonyms
- wisdom
- Derived terms
- hyperacuity, stereoacuity, visual acuity