judiciousness

UK: dʒuːˈdɪʃəsnəs | US: dʒuːˈdɪʃəsnəs

Definition
  1. n. the quality of having or showing good judgment; wisdom or discretion in decision-making.

Structure
judicious <wise>ness <noun suffix>
Etymology

judiciousness = judicious<wise> + ness<noun suffix>

  • judicious: Derived from Latin judicium (judgment), combining judex (judge) + -ious (adjective suffix).
  • ness: Old English suffix -nes, used to form abstract nouns indicating a state or quality.

Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin judex (judge), reflecting the idea of weighing decisions carefully. Over time, judicious evolved in English to describe wise or sensible judgment, while -ness solidified it as an abstract noun. The progression highlights how legal and evaluative concepts (rooted in judex) expanded into broader wisdom-related meanings.

Examples
  1. Her judiciousness in handling conflicts earned her the team's respect.

  2. The manager's judiciousness prevented a costly financial mistake.

  3. Critics praised the author's judiciousness in balancing facts and narrative.

  4. Judiciousness is key when making long-term investments.

  5. His lack of judiciousness led to repeated poor decisions.