nous

noun

1

ˈnüs 

also

ˈnau̇s  : mind, reason: such as

a

: an intelligent purposive principle of the world

b

: the divine reason regarded in Neoplatonism as the first emanation of God

2

ˈnau̇s  chiefly British : common sense, alertness

Synonyms of nous

• prudence
• wisdom
• sense
• wit
• intelligence

Examples of nous in a Sentence

an Oxford don who was long on erudition but a little short on everyday nous

Recent Examples on the Web

That mix of wide-eyed naïveté and pragmatic nous does seem typically American. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

He was recruited at great cost to win this World Cup, and because of his tactical nous in knockout football. — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026

The assessment contradicts Western conventional wisdom that Moscow has approached the conflict more as a meat grinder than with strategic nous. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek noos, nous mind

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nous

• coos
• cruce
• deuce
• douce
• duce
• goose
• hoose
• juice
• loose
• mousse
• noose
• sluice