Meanings
nounwiseness (usually uncountable, plural wisenesses)
plural wisenesses
- uncountableusuallyThe state, quality, or measure of being wise; wisdom.
Yet have I something in me dangerous, Which let thy wiseness fear.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight
Similar
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Englishwīsnes“teaching, wisdom”
- Middle Englishwisnesse
- Englishwiseness
From Middle English wisnesse, from Old English wīsnes (“teaching, wisdom”), equivalent to wise + -ness.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Latvian gudrība
- gudrībathe quality of being wise
Cite this entry
APA
wiseness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wiseness
MLA
“wiseness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wiseness. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wiseness,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wiseness.
Source: wiseness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.