different between shrewd vs prudent

English

Alternative forms

• shrewde (obsolete)

Etymology

c. 1300, Middle English schrewed (“depraved; wicked”, literally “accursed”), from schrewen (“to curse; beshrew”), from schrewe, schrowe, screwe (“evil or wicked person/thing”), from Old English scr?awa (“wicked person”, literally “biter”). Equivalent to shrew +? -ed. More at shrew.

The sense of "cunning" developed in early 16^th c., gradually gaining a positive connotation by 17^th c.

Pronunciation

• enPR: shro?od, IPA^(key): /??u?d/

• Rhymes: -u?d

Adjective

shrewd (comparative shrewder, superlative shrewdest)

1. Showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters.
2. Artful, tricky or cunning.
3. (informal) Streetwise, street-smart.
4. Knowledgeable, intelligent, keen.
5. Nigh accurate.

6. Severe, intense, hard.

7. Sharp, snithy, piercing.

8. (archaic) Bad, evil, threatening.
   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act III Scene ii:

     Portia:

     There are some shrewd contents in yon same paper,

     That steals the colours from Bassanio's cheek:

     Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world

     Could turn so much the constitution

     Of any constant man. What, worse and worse!— […]

9. (obsolete) Portending, boding.
10. (archaic) Noxious, scatheful, mischievous.
11. (obsolete) Abusive, shrewish.
12. (archaic) Scolding, satirical, sharp.
    • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act II Scene i:

      Leonato: By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

Derived terms

• shrewdly
• shrewdness

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English prudent, from Old French prudent, from Latin pr?d?ns, contracted from pr?vid?ns (“foresight”) (English providence), the past participle of pr?vide? (“I forsee”). Unrelated to prude.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?u?d?nt/

Adjective

prudent (comparative more prudent, superlative most prudent)

1. Sagacious in adapting means to ends; circumspect in action, or in determining any line of conduct.

   Synonyms: careful, considerate, discreet; see also Thesaurus:cautious

   • 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

     Moses established a grave and prudent law.

2. Practically wise, judicious, shrewd.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:wise

3. Frugal, economical.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:frugal

   Antonym: extravagant

Antonyms

• imprudent

Derived terms

• prudence
• prudently

Related terms

• jurisprudence
• prudence
• prudential
• provident

Translations

Anagrams

• prunted, uptrend

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin pr?d?ns.

Adjective

prudent (masculine and feminine plural prudents)

1. prudent

Derived terms

• prudentment

Related terms

• prudència

Further reading

• “prudent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “prudent” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “prudent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “prudent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pr?d?ns, pr?d?ntem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?y.d??/

Adjective

prudent (feminine singular prudente, masculine plural prudents, feminine plural prudentes)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Antonyms

• imprudent

Related terms

• prudence

Further reading

• “prudent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French prudent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pru?dent/

Adjective

prudent m or n (feminine singular prudent?, masculine plural pruden?i, feminine and neuter plural prudente)

1. prudent, careful, cautious

Declension

Synonyms

• precaut, atent, îngrijit

Related terms

• pruden??