Dictionary

perspicuity en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• pər'spəkyo͞oʹədi (US)
• pər'spĭkyo͞oʹĭti (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌpəːspɪˈkjuːɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌpɚspəˈkjuəti/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin perspicuitās (“evidentness”, “self-evidency”, literally “transparency”, “clarity”, “lucidity”), from Latin perspicuus (“clear”, “transparent”; “evident”); compare perspicacity and the French perspicuité. By surface analysis, perspicuous + -ity.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Clarity, lucidity, especially in expression; the state or characteristic of being perspicuous.
   • […]whether through the first officer's want of perspicuity or my own stupidity, I was not a bit the wiser for the explanation. 1880, [George] Bernard Shaw, chapter XVIII, in The Irrational Knot … Being the Second Novel of His Nonage, London: Archibald Constable & Co., published 1905, →OCLC, page 354:
2. (countable, uncountable) Perspicacity; insight.
   • “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. 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:
   • Thompson, a high school dropout, said with rare perspicuity that he doubted the FBI would hire him. 1965 March 19, “The Stupid Spy”, in Time:
3. (countable, rare, uncountable) Transparency; translucence.
   • It must have been on some such day of harsh sunlight, the incisive February brightness that gives perspicuity without warmth. 1900, Edith Wharton, chapter 11, in The Touchstone:

Forms

Deriveds

imperspicuity

Relateds

perspicacious · perspicaciously · perspective

Synonyms

perspicuousness

Translations (1)

es perspicuidad (Translations)