perspicacious
Meaning: Having a ready insight into and understanding of things; mentally sharp and perceptive.
Perspicacious describes someone who notices and understands things that others miss. It is a decidedly literary word, rarer than 'perceptive' or 'astute,' and carries an air of intellectual sophistication. 'A perspicacious reader,' 'a perspicacious critic,' and 'perspicacious analysis' are typical collocations. Not to be confused with 'perspicuous,' which means 'clearly expressed' — a common error even among educated writers. The noun form is 'perspicacity.'
Examples
- The more perspicacious observers had noticed the discrepancy in the accounts months before the audit. 那些更有洞察力的观察者在审计之前数月就已注意到账目中的不一致之处。Los observadores más perspicaces habían advertido la discrepancia en las cuentas meses antes de la auditoría.より慧眼の観察者たちは、監査の何か月も前から帳簿の矛盾に気づいていた。더 예리한 관찰자들은 감사가 이루어지기 몇 달 전부터 장부의 불일치를 알아차리고 있었다.
- Her perspicacious analysis of the political situation proved remarkably accurate. 她对政治局势的深刻分析被证明是非常准确的。Su perspicaz análisis de la situación política resultó extraordinariamente acertado.彼女の政治情勢に対する鋭い分析は、驚くほど的中した。그녀의 정치 상황에 대한 예리한 분석은 놀라울 정도로 정확했음이 드러났다.
- A perspicacious reader will detect the irony that runs through the entire narrative. 敏锐的读者会发现贯穿整部叙事的反讽。Un lector perspicaz detectará la ironía que recorre toda la narración.洞察力のある読者であれば、物語全体に流れるアイロニーに気づくだろう。통찰력 있는 독자라면 서사 전체를 관통하는 아이러니를 감지할 것이다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: literary, academic, media
Tone: positive
Origin & History
From Latin perspicacem (having the power of seeing through), from perspicere (to look through, see clearly), from per- (through) + specere (to look). The metaphor is of someone who sees through surfaces to the truth beneath.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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