sage

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈsāj 

1

: one (such as a profound philosopher) distinguished for wisdom

2

: a mature or venerable person of sound judgment

sage

2 of 3

adjective

sager; sagest

1

: proceeding from or characterized by wisdom, prudence, and good judgment

sage advice

2

a

: wise through reflection and experience

b

archaic : grave, solemn

sageness noun

sage

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a European perennial mint (Salvia officinalis) with grayish-green aromatic leaves used especially in flavoring meats

broadly : salvia

b

: the fresh or dried leaves of sage

2

: sagebrush

3

: a light grayish green

Illustration of sage

• ³sage 1a

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• pundit
• savant
• scholar

Adjective

• discerning
• insightful
• perceptive
• prudent
• sagacious
• sapient
• wise

Choose the Right Synonym for sage

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment.

wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of sage in a Sentence

Adjective

a sage suggestion that anyone should think long and hard before deciding to marry

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And the palate is all about complexity: the malt and cooked cereal notes soon morph into toasted sage and the vegetal profile of sencha tea. —Karla Alindahao, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

The two became a nightclub act of sorts, peppering sage investment advice with one-liners that kept the crowd of thousands enraptured. —Tom Petruno, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023

The scenery perfectly complemented the elevated meal of slow-roasted free-range turkey, heirloom apple and sage stuffing, sweet potato puree, garlic lemon green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pomegranate, and a spiced cranberry orange compote served with turkey and giblet gravy. —Brande Victorian, Essence, 27 Nov. 2023

Simmer gravy: Reduce heat to medium; stir in sage and next 4 ingredients. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2023

The smoke was wafting from a bunch of sage leaves lit by Thomas Little, whose company, Urbangreen, has done landscaping and planting work at Mr. Derian’s stores for the last decade. —Christopher Barnard, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023

This weekend’s annual Thanksgiving event at Monarch will be the first without one of the original organizers, who died this year The scents filled the kitchen, sage mixing with thyme and tarragon. —Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Nov. 2023

For this iconic dish, often cited as a staple in blogs about local food, rice is slowly simmered in a stock made with fish scraps and topped with fish filets cooked with butter and sage. —Vittoria Traverso, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Nov. 2023

There are neutral hues available, including beige and apricot gray, along with more vibrant selections, like haze blue and sage green. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *sapius, from Latin sapere to taste, have good taste, be wise; akin to Oscan sipus knowing, Old Saxon ansebbian to perceive

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French sage, salge, from Latin salvia, from salvus healthy; from its use as a medicinal herb — more at safe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sage

• clary sage
• sage grouse
• Russian sage
• scarlet sage
• pineapple sage
• sage cheese

• clary sage
• sage grouse
• Russian sage
• scarlet sage
• pineapple sage
• sage cheese

Kids Definition

sage

1 of 3 adjective

ˈsāj 

sager; sagest

: wise entry 2 sense 1, prudent

sage advice

sagely adverb

sageness noun

sage

2 of 3 noun

: a very wise person

sage

3 of 3 noun

1

: a European mint with fragrant leaves that is used especially to flavor meat

2

: sagebrush

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English sage "wise," from early French sage (same meaning), derived from Latin sapere "to be wise, taste, have good taste" — related to insipid, savant

Noun

Middle English sage "sage plant," from early French sage, salge (same meaning), from Latin salvia "sage plant used for health," from salvus "safe, healthy" — related to safe, save

Medical Definition

sage

noun

ˈsāj 

: a perennial mint of the genus Salvia (S. officinalis) having grayish green pungent and aromatic leaves that are much used in flavoring foods and as a mild tonic and astringent

broadly : any plant of the genus Salvia

Biographical Definition

Sage

biographical name

ˈsāj 

Russell 1816–1906 American financier