acuity

noun

acu·i·ty ə-ˈkyü-ə-tē How to pronounce acuity (audio)

plural acuities

: keenness of perception

hearing acuity

mental acuity

Did you know?

Do you have acuity or sensitivity?

Acuity is nearly synonymous with at least one sense of sensitivity, yet, as is so often the case with closely-related words, there are subtle differences worth observing before you substitute one of these words for the other. Acuity does refer to a form of sensitivity, but it is most often applied to the perceptual senses (as in “visual acuity” or “auditory acuity”). It is also frequently used in reference to the intellect (as in “mental acuity”). Sensitivity has a broader range of meanings than acuity does, including “the capacity of being easily hurt.” It may be used of inanimate objects such as radios (“the sensitivity of the instruments was carefully calibrated”), a context in which acuity is unusual.

Example Sentences

a worrisome deterioration in the acuity of his hearing over the years

Recent Examples on the Web Mosquitoes probably do lose some acuity by stacking their cells like multitools, Herre told me.

Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Trains visual speed, search, acuity, and attention.

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 His unsubstantiated claims about Mr. Biden’s mental acuity have also raised questions among medical ethics experts.

New York Times, 18 Mar. 2022 It’s the space where multi-tasking seems reasonable, though it’s been shown to be quite the opposite––a fragmented disordering of talent, skill, and mental acuity.

Charlotte Kent, Wired, 30 Nov. 2021 Astronomers ever since have been trying to sharpen the acuity of their telescopes to resolve the shadow of that orange.

New York Times, 12 May 2022 Jennings also appreciates the senior’s mental acuity.

Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2022 Trump has also questioned Biden's mental acuity, suggesting a deteriorating mental state could be leading to some of his verbal misstatements or embellishments.

Dominick Mastrangelo, Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2020 Even more striking are the songs in which Walker assesses the wreckage of her home life, surveying the damage with acuity and even a sense of responsibility.

Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2021 See More

单词	acuity
释义	acuity noun acu·i·ty ə-ˈkyü-ə-tē a- plural acuities : keenness of perception hearing acuity mental acuity Did you know? Do you have acuity or sensitivity? Acuity is nearly synonymous with at least one sense of sensitivity, yet, as is so often the case with closely-related words, there are subtle differences worth observing before you substitute one of these words for the other. Acuity does refer to a form of sensitivity, but it is most often applied to the perceptual senses (as in “visual acuity” or “auditory acuity”). It is also frequently used in reference to the intellect (as in “mental acuity”). Sensitivity has a broader range of meanings than acuity does, including “the capacity of being easily hurt.” It may be used of inanimate objects such as radios (“the sensitivity of the instruments was carefully calibrated”), a context in which acuity is unusual. Synonyms acuteness delicacy keenness perceptiveness perceptivity sensitiveness sensitivity sharpness See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a worrisome deterioration in the acuity of his hearing over the years Recent Examples on the Web Mosquitoes probably do lose some acuity by stacking their cells like multitools, Herre told me. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2022 Trains visual speed, search, acuity, and attention. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 July 2022 His unsubstantiated claims about Mr. Biden’s mental acuity have also raised questions among medical ethics experts. New York Times, 18 Mar. 2022 It’s the space where multi-tasking seems reasonable, though it’s been shown to be quite the opposite––a fragmented disordering of talent, skill, and mental acuity. Charlotte Kent, Wired, 30 Nov. 2021 Astronomers ever since have been trying to sharpen the acuity of their telescopes to resolve the shadow of that orange. New York Times, 12 May 2022 Jennings also appreciates the senior’s mental acuity. Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2022 Trump has also questioned Biden's mental acuity, suggesting a deteriorating mental state could be leading to some of his verbal misstatements or embellishments. Dominick Mastrangelo, Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2020 Even more striking are the songs in which Walker assesses the wreckage of her home life, surveying the damage with acuity and even a sense of responsibility. Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Middle English acuite "sharpness, acridity," borrowed from Middle French acuité, borrowed from Medieval Latin acuitāt-, acuitās, from Latin acu-, stem of acuere "to sharpen" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at acute First Known Use circa 1549, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing acuity hyper-acuity visual acuity hyper-acuity visual acuity Medical Definition acuity noun acu·ity ə-ˈkyü-ət-ē plural acuities : keenness of sense perception acuity of hearing see visual acuity acuity noun as in sensitivity the state or quality of being able to sense slight impressions or differences a worrisome deterioration in the acuity of his hearing over the years Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance sensitivity sensitiveness perceptiveness perceptivity acuteness accuracy sharpness keenness hyperacuity delicacy hypersensitivity supersensitivity exactness exactitude hypersensitiveness oversensitivity fineness oversensitiveness
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acuity

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing acuity

Medical Definition

noun

noun