Perspicacious vs Perspicuous
perspicacious
perceptive/shrewd (a person)
perspicuous
clearly expressed (writing)
How to tell them apart
perspicaCIOUS ends like 'vivaCIOUS' and 'sagaCIOUS', a sharp PERSON who sees through things. perspiCUOUS sounds like 'con-SPICU-ous', writing so clear it's easy to SPOT and understand.
Test yourself
Which word fits from context? Pick one, then reveal the answer. This is exactly how the GRE tests these pairs.
Question 1
The detective was so that she inferred the suspect's alibi was false from a single inconsistency in his account.
Choose: perspicacious or perspicuous
Show answer
Answer: perspicacious
'inferred... from a single inconsistency' marks keen human insight (perspicacious); perspicuous describes clear writing, not a person.
Question 2
Reviewers praised the manual as remarkably , because even novices could follow its instructions without any confusion whatsoever.
Choose: perspicacious or perspicuous
Show answer
Answer: perspicuous
'novices could follow its instructions without any confusion' signals clearly expressed text (perspicuous); perspicacious cannot describe a manual.
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