prudence
/ˈpɹud(ə)n(t)s/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.08 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The quality or state of being prudent: circumspection and good judgment in knowing how best to act; (countable, archaic) an instance of this.
Uncountable
noun
Synonym of frugality (“the quality of avoiding unnecessary expenditure; economy, parsimony, thrift, thriftiness”).
Uncountable
noun
Synonym of providence (“preparation for the future; foresight”).
Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable
noun
Synonym of wisdom (“an element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise; wise advice”).
Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable
name
A female given name from English, one of the Puritan virtue names.
Example Sentences
- "[T]here are ſo many concurrencies vvhich have their attending cheques; vvhich poſſible are to be, but actually, vvere not improved in remedy that the prevalence of the Fire againſt, and in deſpight of thoſe vvonted prudences, and uſual reſiſtances, and the Latitude of effects, ſeconding ſuch a neglect of impending means, vvhere ſo vvell underſtood, and ſo dextrouſly at other times practiſed; […]"
- "Concerning intellectual Habits or the genuine effects of theſe acts in the underſtanding Faculty, and they are divers and diverſly expreſſed by thoſe that have treated thereof. […] Prudence, vvhich is principally in reference to actions to be done, the due means, order, ſeaſon, method of doing or not doing."
- "Prudence, like experience, must be paid for."
- "[U]nder pretence of carrying in a pitcher of vvater, he entered the priſon, though, his prudence having prevented him from telling the ſentinel the real motive of his viſit, he vvas obliged to make his conference vvith the priſoner a very ſhort one."
- "Novv as I don't much chuſe to have my girls go to theſe ſort of places often, vvhich is a prudence that I dare ſay you approve as much as myſelf, I vvould vviſh to have the moſt made of them at once; […]"
- "Mrs. Varden approved of this meek and forgiving spirit in high terms, and incidentally declared as a closing article of agreement, that Dolly should accompany her to the Clerkenwell branch of the association, that very night. This was an extraordinary instance of her great prudence and policy; having had this end in view from the first, and entertaining a secret misgiving that the locksmith (who was bold when Dolly was in question) would object, she had backed Miss Miggs up to this point, in order that she might have him at a disadvantage."
Etymology
From Middle English prudence (“discretion; foresight; knowledge; intelligence, wisdom; act of good judgment; wisdom to see what is virtuous”), from Anglo-Norman prudence, Middle French prudence, and Old French prudence (“common sense; wisdom”) (modern French prudence), and from their etymon Latin prūdentia (“common sense; discretion, prudence; foresight; knowledge; providence; skilfulness; wisdom”), from prūdent- (the stem of prūdēns (“knowledgeable, skilful; wise, prudent”)) + -ia (suffix forming first-declension feminine abstract nouns). Prūdēns is a contraction of prōvidēns (“caring for; foreseeing; providing”) (whence prōvidentia (“foreknowledge, foresight; forethought, precaution, providence”)), the present active participle of prōvideō (“to care for, look after; to foresee; to provide, see to”), from prō- (prefix meaning ‘forward; prior’) + videō (“to perceive, see; to comprehend, understand; to look out for, care for”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see; to know”)). Doublet of provide and purvey.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *per-, prudence, prūdentia, *weyd-
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈpɹud(ə)n(t)s/
- British English: /ˈpɹuːd(ə)n(t)s/