Nous
n.capable, thoughtfulliterary
What it means
Practical intelligence and sound everyday judgment.
Reach for it when praising practical intelligence and sound everyday judgment
Her practical nous kept the complicated move on schedule.
Choose between these
6- playful
horse sense
plain homespun judgment suits the voice
not when The idiom is dated and culturally marked.
- everyday
sound ordinary judgment is the point
not when Common sense varies by culture and can mask assumptions.
- everyday
practical know-how in a field matters
not when Savvy is informal and often commercial.
- warm
good judgment shaped by understanding matters
not when Wisdom is broader and more reflective.
- professional
sharp judgment in complex matters is proven
not when Acumen suggests specialist skill more than everyday sense.
- formal
shrewdness
keen practical calculation is central
not when Shrewdness can imply self-interest.
Said against
3- folly
- naivety
- imprudence
It naturally appears in
3- practical nous
Her practical nous kept the crowded move on schedule.
- political nous
Political nous helped the coalition preserve its shared goal.
- have the nous to
They have the nous to test the old valve before ordering parts.
Where this comes from
Nous in this sense is chiefly British and may be opaque to readers who know only the philosophical Greek term.
- wiktionary, English noun, common sense or practical intelligence sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-27
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.