Word of the Day for Saturday July 2, 2005 acumen \uh-KYOO-muhn; AK-yuh-muhn\, noun: Quickness of perception or discernment; shrewdness shown by keen insight. With Leo's rare combination of editorial acumen and business know-how, he might have become a publishing giant had he not permitted his drinking and gambling to hold him back. --Ellis Amburn, [1]Subterranean Kerouac: The Hidden Life of Jack Kerouac The family store gave him a sharp business acumen -- acquired, he would say, by manning the cash register -- that few of his rivals possessed. --David Schiff, "Who Was That Masked Composer?" [2]The Atlantic, January 2000 _________________________________________________________ Acumen comes from Latin acumen, "the sharp point of something; sharpness of understanding; cunning," from acuere, "to sharpen." Synonyms: Sharpness, sagacity, perspicacity. [3]Find more at Thesaurus.com. References 1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0312206771/ref=nosim/lexico 2. http://www.theatlantic.com/ 3. http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=acumen Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=acumen