English → Latin
“perspicacious” in Latin
perspicāxsharp-sighted, quick-sighted, perspicacioussubtīlisfine, thin, slender; precise, accurate, keen; plain, unadorned, simpleacuōto make pointed, sharpen, whet; to exercise, practice, improve; to spur, stimulate, arouseācersharp, sour, bitter, pungent; keen, sharp, acute, sagacious; energetic, active, vigorousperacūtusvery sharp or penetrating
The English word perspicacious itself goes back to Latin perspiciō, through perspicācitās.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
perspicacious
perspicax (clear-sighted): sagax ad aliquid perspiciendum: subtilis (fine; discriminating accurately): acutus (sharp, acute): acer (vigorous) [☞ argutus is “over-acute,” drawing too subtle distinctions]. (The words are found in this connection and order.) acutus et perspicax. To be perspicacious in anything, perspicacem esse ad aliquid (e.g., ad has res, Terentianus): a perspicacious understanding, ingenium acre or acutum; mens acris: very perspicacious, peracutus, peracer: to be very perspicacious, acutissimo, acerrimo esse ingenio; ingenii acumine valere.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for perspicacious?
- The usual Latin words for “perspicacious” are perspicāx, subtīlis, acuō; also ācer, peracūtus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.