prudence

See also Prudence

English

Wikipedia

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

Etymology

From Old French prudence.

Noun

prudence (uncountable)

1. The quality or state of being prudent; wisdom in the way of caution and provision; discretion; carefulness; hence, also, economy; frugality.
   • 1876, Samuel Austin Allibone, Prose Quotations from Socrates to Macaulay, J.B. Lippincott, page 597,

     Prudence is principally in reference to actions to be done, and due means, order, seasons, and method of doing or not doing. - Sir Matthew Hale.

     Prudence supposes the value of the end to be assumed, and refers only to the adaptation of the means. It is the relation of right means for given ends. - William Whewell.

Synonyms

• wisdom, forecast, providence, considerateness, judiciousness, discretion, caution, circumspection, judgment
• See also Wikisaurus:caution

Antonyms

• imprudence, recklessness, rashness

Translations

The quality or state of being prudent

• Finnish: harkitsevuus (fi), varovaisuus (fi)
• German: Klugheit (de) f, Umsicht (de) f, Besonnenheit (de) f
• Maori: ngārahu (mi)
• Polish: roztropność (pl) f
• Portuguese: prudência (pt) f

• Romanian: prudență (ro) f
• Russian: благоразумность (ru) (blagorazumnostʹ) f, дальновидность (ru) (dalʹnovidnostʹ) f, осмотрительность (ru) (osmotritelʹnostʹ) f, расчётливость (ru) (rasčótlivostʹ) f
• Scottish Gaelic: gliocas (gd) m

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French

Etymology

From Latin prudentia, contrast from providentia. See prudent, and confer providence.

Pronunciation

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Noun

prudence f (plural prudences)

1. Prudence, caution, care