Word of the Day: ACUITY

Keenly perceptive

acuity (noun) - sharpness or keenness, particularly in relation to perception or thought [uh-kyoo-i-tee]

BREAKDOWN: ACU- (sharp) + -ITY (quality)

• acute means sharp; severe in effect; intense; extremely great or serious; critical

• acute, when describing a disease, means brief and severe, as opposed to chronic, which means developing slowly, lingering long, or recurring frequently

• acute, when describing an angle, means less than 90 degrees, as opposed to obtuse, which means greater than 90 degrees

See also: acerbic, acrimonious

“Mountains are cathedrals: grand and pure, the houses of my religion. I go to them as humans go to worship...From their lofty summits, I view my past, dream of the future, and with unusual acuity I am allowed to experience the present moment. My strength renewed, my vision cleared, in the mountains I celebrate creation. On each journey I am reborn.” —Anatoli Boukreev