wisdom

1 of 2

noun (1)

wis·​dom ˈwiz-dəm 

1

a

: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight

b

: good sense : judgment

c

: generally accepted belief

… challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians …

—Robert Darnton

d

: accumulated philosophical or scientific learning : knowledge

2

: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action

3

: the teachings of the ancient wise men

Wisdom

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a didactic book included in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Wisdom of Solomon in the Protestant Apocrypha see Bible Table

Synonyms of wisdom

Noun (1)

• insight

Choose the Right Synonym for wisdom

sense, common sense, judgment, wisdom mean ability to reach intelligent conclusions.

sense implies a reliable ability to judge and decide with soundness, prudence, and intelligence.

a choice showing good sense

common sense suggests an average degree of such ability without sophistication or special knowledge.

common sense tells me it's wrong

judgment implies sense tempered and refined by experience, training, and maturity.

they relied on her judgment for guidance

wisdom implies sense and judgment far above average.

a leader of rare wisdom

Examples of wisdom in a Sentence

Noun (1)

She has gained a lot of wisdom over the years.

a young person of great wisdom

He had the wisdom to stop before he said too much.

I fail to see the wisdom in doing that.

He shared a valuable bit of wisdom with his daughter.

These stories offer plenty of wisdom to readers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Against that backdrop, Persian wisdom offers three ways to read the new ayatollah’s latest gambit. — Khosro Isfahani, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

The informal meetup was intended as a way to convey the chiefs’ collective wisdom and experience—and to offer, in miniature, a nuts-and-bolts version of the transition of executive power that is a hallmark of American democracy. — Chris Whipple, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026

That is the question driving debates in Washington about the wisdom of pursuing talks on the subject with Beijing. — Daniel Remler, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2026

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln steeped himself in the rhetoric of the classical authors, the wisdom of Aesop and the King James Bible, and the expansive humanity of William Shakespeare, John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, and Robert Burns. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English wīsdōm, from wīs wise

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1d

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing wisdom

• conventional wisdom
• in someone's (infinite) wisdom
• pearl of wisdom
• wisdom tooth

Rhymes for wisdom

• unwisdom

Kids Definition

wisdom

1 of 2 noun

wis·​dom ˈwiz-dəm 

1

a

: learning acquired over a period of time : knowledge

b

: ability to see beneath the surface of things : insight

c

: good sense : judgment

2

: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action

Wisdom

2 of 2 noun

: a didactic book included in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Wisdom of Solomon in the Protestant Apocrypha see bible