English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
adj

sapient

Sapient (adj) means possessing discernment and wisdom; learned, wise.

adj
1
Possessing discernment and wisdom; learned, wise.
2
Attempting to appear discerning or wise.
3
Followed by of: aware or knowledgeable of.
4
Of a lifeform or species: possessing intelligence or a high degree of self-awareness.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “sapient” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English sapient (“learned, wise”), from Old French sapient, or from its etymon Latin sapient-, a stem of sapiēns (“(adjective) discerning, judicious, wise; (noun) wise man, sage”), the present active participle of sapiō (“to have a flavour of, taste like; (figurative) to have good taste; to have discernment or sense; to be prudent, sensible, or wise”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁p-, *sep- (“to taste; to try out”). Doublet of savant. The noun is derived from the adjective, and also influenced by Latin sapiēns (noun) (see above).

Rhymes for sapient

See all rhymes for sapient →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of sapient?

"sapient" (adj) means possessing discernment and wisdom; learned, wise.

What are the different meanings of sapient?

"sapient" has 3 main meanings: 1. Possessing discernment and wisdom; learned, wise; 2. Attempting to appear discerning or wise; 3. Followed by of: aware or knowledgeable of.

Definitions from wiktionary, CC BY-SA · etymology from Wiktionary