sagaz

Sagaz is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe someone who is perceptive, shrewd, or astute. It characterizes a person who grasps situations quickly, reads others well, and makes sound judgments. The term can apply to people, decisions, ideas, or strategies and is common in everyday speech as well as in literature and journalism.

Etymology traces sagaz to the Latin sagax, sagac-, meaning keen or discerning. It has cognates in other Romance languages, such as French sagace and Italian sagace, reflecting a shared lineage of words related to discernment and sharpness of mind.

In usage, sagaz appears in phrases like "una persona sagaz" or "una mente sagaz" in Spanish, and "uma mente sagaz" or "um argumento sagaz" in Portuguese. The word generally carries a positive nuance, signaling admiration for discernment, though it may also appear in evaluative statements as praise rather than a neutral description.

Regional notes indicate that sagaz is widely understood across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities, with regional variation in frequency and tone. In some contexts, closer synonyms such as perspicaz or astuto may be preferred, depending on nuance and register. Sagaz also tends to appear in headlines, literature, and formal writing to convey clever insight or prudent judgment.

See also sagacity and sagacious, as well as their equivalents in Spanish and Portuguese.