4 syllables: Per, spi, ca, cious. Stress on ca.
pur-spuh-KAY-shuhs
/pɚspəˈkeɪʃəs/
Perspicacious is pronounced pur-spuh-KAY-shuhs (/pɚspəˈkeɪʃəs/). It has four syllables (Per-spi-ca-cious), with the stress on "ca". Perspicacious is an adjective meaning having a ready insight into and understanding of things; keen, perceptive, and shrewd. It denotes mental acuity and quick discernment, often in judging situations or people. The term carries a formal, scholarly tone and is used to compliment someone's insightful reasoning or observational skills.
nounPerspicacious is an adjective meaning having a ready insight into and understanding of things; keen, perceptive, and shrewd. It denotes mental acuity and quick discernment, often in judging situations or people. The term carries a formal, scholarly tone and is used to compliment someone's insightful reasoning or observational skills.
"Her perspicacious observations during the debate revealed underlying motives."
"The detective's perspicacious mind quickly connected disparate clues."
"In business, perspicacious leaders anticipate trends before they become obvious."
Pronounce as /ˌpɜːr.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs/ in US/UK general terms, with primary stress on the third syllable (-kay-). In American speech you’ll hear the phonetic flow: per-spi-KEY-shuss, but keep the final /ʃəs/ crisp. Mouth position: start with a light, rounded /p/ release, move through /ɜːr/ (US) or /əˈ/ (UK), then /spɪ/ or /spɪ/, emphasize /keɪ/ with a mid-back tongue position, and finish with /ʃəs/. Audio resources like Pronounce or Cambridge dictionary can reinforce these cues.
Common errors: misplacing stress (thinking it’s on the first or second syllable); mispronouncing /spɪ/ as /spɪs/ or blending /keɪ/ into /ki/; dropping the final /-ous/ making it /-əs/ or /-əs/. To correct: keep primary stress on the third syllable: per-spi-KAY-shuss, ensure the /keɪ/ has a clear long vowel, and land the final /ʃəs/ with a short, crisp /ʃ/ and a soft /əs/.
US tends to have /ˌpɜr.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs/ with rhotic r and a clear /ɜr/; UK often /ˌpəˈspɪkəʊ.ʃəs/ with non-rhotic /ə/ and higher vowel in /əʊ/; Australian tends toward /ˌpəːˈspɪkəˌʃəs/ with more centralized vowels and less rhoticity in some speakers. The key differences are rhoticity of the /r/ (US) versus non-rhotic (UK/AU) and the exact vowel quality of /ɪ/ vs /i/ in the second syllable, plus the diphthong in /keɪ/ or /kəʊ/ depending on the accent.
Two main challenges: the multi-syllabic length with three distinct vowel sounds in quick succession, and the unfamiliar /spɪ-/ cluster followed by /ˈkeɪ/ rather than a simple /kɪ/. The stress placement on the third syllable can be tricky if you’re used to flatter words. Gentle, slow practice helps—segment the word, then blend. Focus on the /ˈkeɪ/ vowel and the final /ʃəs/ to avoid blending into /-ʃəs/.
Not exactly. The 'Pers' in Perspicacious is pronounced with a light initial /p/ followed by /ɜr/ or /ə/, depending on accent, rather than the /pɜr/ in perseverance. The important cue is a short, unstressed first syllable, then the stronger /spɪ/ or /spɪ/ cluster, and the prominent /keɪ/ before the final /ʃəs/. So, while similar letters appear, the vowel quality and stress patterns differ.
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Perspicacious comes from Late Latin perspicax, which itself derives from the combination of per- (through) and spicere (to look, to observe). The suffix -ax indicates capability or tendency. The Latin perspicax meant ‘quick at seeing’ and passed into English in the 17th century with the same core sense of sharp vision or discernment. The root spic- appears in many words tied to sight and perception, such as conspicuous, introspect, and inspect. The word has retained a formal, almost academic tone through centuries, frequently appearing in scholarly criticism, philosophy, and high-register discourse. First known use in English traces to about the 17th century, aligning with the era’s interest in rational judgment and epistemic clarity. Over time, perspicacious has shifted from simply seeing clearly to implying a more sophisticated, almost almost-analytic ability to understand complex situations. The pronunciation evolved with English phonetic changes, but today it remains a prestige word often used to commend nuanced insight rather than physical vision alone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Perspicacious" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Perspicacious"
-ous sounds
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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