sage

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: one (such as a profound philosopher) distinguished for wisdom
2
: a mature or venerable person of sound judgment

sage

2 of 3

adjective

sager; sagest
1
: proceeding from or characterized by wisdom, prudence, and good judgment
sage advice
2
a
: wise through reflection and experience
b
archaic : grave, solemn
sageness noun

sage

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a European perennial mint (Salvia officinalis) with grayish-green aromatic leaves used especially in flavoring meats
broadly : salvia
b
: the fresh or dried leaves of sage
2
3
: a light grayish green

Illustration of sage

Illustration of sage
  • 3sage 1a
Choose the Right Synonym for sage

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment.

wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of sage in a Sentence

Adjective a sage suggestion that anyone should think long and hard before deciding to marry
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This pair comes in 10 solid colors (including sage, powder pink, black, and red) and has about a 5-inch inseam, keeping it in the vein of the preppy, sporty trunks popular on Instagram right now. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2024 Trusting our inner sage empowers us to silence our saboteurs and reclaim control over our thoughts and emotions. Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 In my case: in a sage green uniform with a lanyard and a broom, sweeping up the linoleum floors of a Philadelphia elementary school. TIME, 9 Feb. 2024 Flavors of blackberries and sage mingle with smoky mineral notes. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The smoke smelled comforting—like a mixture of sage and resin, citronella and my grandpa. M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024 The Details: Type: Deodorant Form: Roll-on Scent: Coconut Active ingredients: Coconut oil, sage oil Best Smell: Tom's of Maine Wicked Cool! Katrina Cossey, Parents, 22 Feb. 2024 In the locker room, Beckham was parked next to Zay Flowers, imparting his 10 years of wisdom on the rookie receiver, and was a popular sage among teammates young, old and in between. Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024 Embrace your dusty pinks, baby blues, and sage greens. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *sapius, from Latin sapere to taste, have good taste, be wise; akin to Oscan sipus knowing, Old Saxon ansebbian to perceive

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French sage, salge, from Latin salvia, from salvus healthy; from its use as a medicinal herb — more at safe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sage was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sage

Cite this Entry

“Sage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sage. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sage

1 of 3 adjective
sager; sagest
: wise entry 2 sense 1, prudent
sage advice
sagely adverb
sageness noun

sage

2 of 3 noun
: a very wise person

sage

3 of 3 noun
1
: a European mint with fragrant leaves that is used especially to flavor meat
2
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English sage "wise," from early French sage (same meaning), derived from Latin sapere "to be wise, taste, have good taste" — related to insipid, savant

Noun

Middle English sage "sage plant," from early French sage, salge (same meaning), from Latin salvia "sage plant used for health," from salvus "safe, healthy" — related to safe, save

Medical Definition

sage

noun
: a perennial mint of the genus Salvia (S. officinalis) having grayish green pungent and aromatic leaves that are much used in flavoring foods and as a mild tonic and astringent
broadly : any plant of the genus Salvia

Biographical Definition

Sage

biographical name

Russell 1816–1906 American financier

More from Merriam-Webster on sage

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