Perspicacity
A listener asked about
the word perspicacity. It means
insight, the ability to go beneath the surface, the act of seeing through a
situation. It comes to us from two Latin words: per, through, and specere,
to see or observe. Its obsolete opposite was imperspicuity.
Many words have used the
–spic– root. They include auspice (patronage or a favorable
sign), which came from auspex, the
seer who interpreted omens by observing birds. His counterpart practiced haruspication, divination by inspecting
animal entrails.
Another old term,
occurring in the 17th century, was circumspicuous, something that could be seen from all sides. Conspicuous (plainly evident) is a
useful word, as is inconspicuous,
its antonym.
Prospicience (foresight) looks forward, and retrospicience looks back, while
something despicable is simply
looked down upon.
Available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition
Nook edition
Nook edition
Listen to Mike’s program in real
time every Tuesday morning, 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com
and clicking on Listen Now. You’ll
also find about a month’s worth of podcasts there under The Ron Jolly Show.
Comments