PRUDENCE
Dictionary entry overview: What does prudence mean?
• PRUDENCE (noun)
The noun PRUDENCE has 2 senses:
1. discretion in practical affairs
2. knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
Familiarity information: PRUDENCE used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• PRUDENCE (noun)
Meaning:
Discretion in practical affairs
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("prudence" is a kind of...):
natural virtue ((scholasticism) one of the four virtues (prudence and justice and fortitude and temperance) derived from nature)
discernment; discretion (the trait of judging wisely and objectively)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "prudence"):
providence (the prudence and care exercised by someone in the management of resources)
frugality; frugalness (prudence in avoiding waste)
Antonym:
imprudence (a lack of caution in practical affairs)
Meaning:
Knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
circumspection; discreetness; discretion; prudence
Context example:
the servants showed great tact and discretion
Hypernyms ("prudence" is a kind of...):
discernment; judgement; judgment; sagaciousness; sagacity (the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "prudence"):
confidentiality (discretion in keeping secret information)
