wise

CEFRB1

/waɪz/

adjective · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Able to make good decisions because of knowledge and experience.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Aware, informed (to something).

Examples

  • It is not wise to put your money on a horse.

  • You made a wise choice.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meaning
  1. Showing good judgement or the benefit of experience.

verb

Extra meanings
  1. To become wise.

  2. Usually with "up", to inform or learn.

More examples

In context
  • Storing extra food for the winter was a wise decision.

  • They were considered the wise old men of the administration.

  • Don't get wise with me!

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank elderly woman gave life-saving advice to the confused villagers during the crisis.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English wys, wyse, from Old English wīs (“wise”), from Proto-Germanic *wīsaz (“knowledgeable, wise”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéydos (“seeing; knowledge”), from *weyd- (“to see”). Cognates Cognate with West Frisian wiis (“wise”), Dutch wijs (“wise”), German weis, weise (“wise”), Low German wies (“wise; clever”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish vis (“wise”), Icelandic vís (“wise; certain”), Gothic *𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 (*weis, “wise”); also Irish fios (“knowledge; information”), Manx fys (“knowledge; information”), Scottish Gaelic fhios, fios (“knowledge; information”), Welsh gwys, gwŷs (“citation, summons”), Latin videō (“to look, perceive, see; to note, observe;...