Wisdom Meaning
/ˈwɪzdəm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
nounA piece of wise advice.
Sentence Examples
It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.
Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.
She was known to be a woman of great wisdom.
CEFR Practice Quiz
At bedtime, Grandma shared her valuable life ____ with the young children.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old woman was respected by everyone in the village for her several ____ and her many years of experience today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic *wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom”), Dutch wijsdom (“wisdom”), German Weistum (“legal sentence”), Danish/Norwegian/Swedish visdom (“wisdom”), Icelandic vísdómur (“wisdom”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Wiſdom…is to a man an infinite Treaſure, for ſhe is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; ſhe is the Brightneſs of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Majeſty of God, and an Image of his Goodneſs; ſhe teacheth us Soberneſs and Prudence, Righteouſneſs and Strength; ſhe underſtands the Subtilty of words, and Solution of dark ſentences; ſhe foreknoweth Signs and Wonders, and what ſhall happen in time to come."
— 1652, Eugenius Philalethes, The Fame and Confeſſion of the Fraternity of…the Roſie Croſs, pages 1-2 of the preface:
"It would also be difficult to get to the bottom line accurately if a wisdom of wombats ate your working papers. Both scenarios are equal in probability."
— 2007 April 16, Tony Cooper, “Ebay is Unfair!”, in rec.collecting.coins (Usenet), retrieved 05 Sep 2022:
"Beautimus strolled to the river for her morning bath. She looked one direction, then the other to search the landscape for anything or anybody who might offer a clue as to what could be coming her way. She passed a pond where a congregation of alligators and a wisdom of wombats engaged in a heated argument over economics. Nothing unusual in that."
— 2017, Peggy A. Wheeler, The Splendid and Extraordinary Life of Beautimus Potamus:
"Banyule means hill, another voice whispers from the swamp, and as I turn to ask a question I see kangaroos lying in the shade of a low tree by the shining water. Yes, the water has returned, along with giant earth-eating creatures boring holes far below, linking wisdoms of wombats with wastelands of Winthers."
— 2020, Graham Jackson, The7th Victim, page 160:
"What he expected to find I cannot imagine , unless it was a wisdom of owls. What he did see and hear were telephones ringing, assistants answering them, getting up from their seats to take a book or a card from a file, returning[…]"
— 1974, Margery Weiner, Answering Any Questions: How to Set Up an Information Office, Newton Abbot : David and Charles [for] the "Daily Telegraph":
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
At bedtime, Grandma shared her valuable life ____ with the young children.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old woman was respected by everyone in the village for her several ____ and her many years of experience today.