acumen

/əkˈjuːmən/uh-KYOO-muhn

/əkˈjumən/uh-KYOO-muhn

Meaningsharpness

Common meaning: sharpness of mind

acusharp; to sharpen; a needleLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 20 · scan
mennoun ending: a thing that does

Journey through time

Latinācer; acuō; acus‘sharp’
Englishacumen‘sharpness of mind’ · today

acu also in: acute acid acrid eager

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin ācer; acuō; acus ‘sharp; to sharpen; a needle’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry ācer, p. 20 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry EAGER, p. 184 · dictionary scan

Roots

ācer; acuō; acus Latin “sharp; to sharpen; a needle”

Related words

acid acrid acute eager

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