Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wisdom

/ˈwɪzdəm/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.30 in modern English

Syllables
wis-dom
IPA
/ˈwɪzdəm/
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.

Uncountable

noun

A piece of wise advice.

Countable

noun

The discretionary use of knowledge for the greatest good.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way, especially to different situations from that in which the knowledge was gained.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The ability to make a decision based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The ability to know and apply spiritual truths.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A group of wombats.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A group of owls.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic *wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom”), Dutch wijsdom (“wisdom”), German Weistum (“legal sentence”), Danish/Norwegian/Swedish visdom (“wisdom”), Icelandic vísdómur (“wisdom”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *weyd-, wisdom, wīsdōm, *wīsadōm, *wīsadōmaz
  • Suffix: wise

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈwɪzdəm/
  • British English: /ˈwɪzdəm/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Antonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce wisdom?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈwɪzdəm/.
What does wisdom mean?
An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
Where does wisdom come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce wisdom

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wisdom”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈwɪzdəm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “wisdom”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “wisdom” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.