perspicuity

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word perspicuity. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word perspicuity, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say perspicuity in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word perspicuity you have here. The definition of the word perspicuity will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofperspicuity, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From the Classical Latin perspicuitās (transparency”, “lucidity”, “self-evidency”, (in post-Classical Latin): “penetration”, “insight), from perspicuus (clear”, “evident); compare perspicacity and the French perspicuité. By surface analysis, perspicuous +‎ -ity.

Pronunciation

Noun

perspicuity (countable and uncountable, plural perspicuities)

  1. Clarity, lucidity, especially in expression; the state or characteristic of being perspicuous.
    • 1880, Bernard Shaw, chapter XVIII, in The Irrational Knot Being the Second Novel of His Nonage, London: Archibald Constable & Co., published 1905, →OCLC, page 354:
      [] whether through the first officer's want of perspicuity or my own stupidity, I was not a bit the wiser for the explanation.
  2. Perspicacity; insight.
    • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 51:
      “Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.
    • 1965 March 19, “The Stupid Spy”, in Time:
      Thompson, a high school dropout, said with rare perspicuity that he doubted the FBI would hire him.
  3. (rare) Transparency; translucence.
    • 1900, Edith Wharton, chapter 11, in The Touchstone:
      It must have been on some such day of harsh sunlight, the incisive February brightness that gives perspicuity without warmth.

Synonyms

References