astutum

Astutum is the neuter singular form of the Latin adjective astutus, meaning clever, cunning, or shrewd. In Latin texts, astutum is used to describe a neuter noun or to function predicatively with a neuter subject, conveying the sense of sly intelligence or strategic craft rather than brute strength.

Grammar and etymology: Astutus belongs to the second-declension family of adjectives. The masculine is astutus, the feminine astuta, and the neuter astutum. The word is the source of many Romance-language descendants, such as Italian astuto and Spanish astuto, and it is etymologically related to the English word astute through the Latin and later Romance forms.

Usage: In classical Latin, astutum occurs in phrases such as consilium astutum ("a cunning plan") or res astuta, with feminine nouns. The nuance covers practical shrewdness and craftiness, sometimes with a moral dimension depending on context. It can be contrasted with terms like fortis (brave) or sapiens (wise), depending on what attribute is being highlighted.

Legacy: The adjective is the ancestor of the modern English astute, which entered through Latin and Old French and retains a similar sense of sharp perception and astute judgment. In contemporary Latin scholarship, astutus and astuta remain common, while astutum appears primarily as the neuter form used in agreement with neuter nouns or in quoted phrases.