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sage

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sage

Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "sage" is:

  • /seɪd͡ʒ/ (This is for most American and some British dialects)

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

  • First syllable (seɪ):

    • /s/: Unvoiced alveolar fricative (similar to the "s" sound in "sip")

    • /eɪ/: Diphthong sound starting with a close front unrounded vowel (like the "a" in "day") and ending with a close mid front vowel (like the "a" in "bait")

  • Second syllable (d͡ʒ): Affricate consonant sound created by stopping the airflow with the tongue tip at the alveolar ridge (similar to "t") and then releasing it with a voiced postalveolar fricative (similar to the "j" sound in "jump")

Word Form Variations

The word "sage" has a few variations depending on its part of speech:

  • Noun:

    • Singular: Sage

    • Plural: Sages

  • Adjective:

    • Positive: Sage

    • Comparative: Sager (less common)

    • Superlative: Sagest

However, the comparative and superlative forms of the adjective "sage" are rarely used in modern English. It's more common to use adverbs like "more" or "most" with "sage" (e.g., "Her advice was more sage than anyone else's").

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Noun:

  • Definition: A person of profound wisdom and experience, often offering insightful advice.

  • Synonyms: Wise person, sagebrush (informal), seer, oracle, guru, mentor

  • Antonyms: Fool, simpleton, ignoramus, buffoon

Adjective:

  • Definition: Wise, possessing or showing sound judgement based on experience and knowledge.

  • Synonyms: Wise, judicious, prudent, sensible, insightful, discerning, learned, sapient

  • Antonyms: Foolish, unwise, reckless, imprudent, rash, senseless

Less Common Forms:

  • Verb (rare): To act wisely or with good judgement. (e.g., "The king sagely decided to negotiate peace.") - This usage is uncommon in modern English.

  • Adverb (rare): In a wise or insightful manner. (e.g., "She sagely nodded in agreement.") - Similar to the verb form, this adverb usage is not very common.

Note: The comparative ("sager") and superlative ("sagest") forms of the adjective are rarely used. It's more natural to use constructions like "more sage" or "the most sage" in modern English.

Examples of Use

Noun:

  • Book: "Yoda, the wise and powerful Jedi Master, was a sage who guided generations of young Padawans." ([Star Wars])

  • Newspaper: "The Dalai Lama, a revered sage, spoke about the importance of compassion at the recent peace conference." (The New York Times)

  • Online Publication: "In her advice column, Dear Abby often acts as a sage for readers facing difficult life choices." (HuffPost)

Adjective:

  • Movie: "The old man offered sage advice to the young adventurer before his journey." (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

  • Song: "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan includes the lyrics: "He said, 'How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?'" This question reflects a search for a sage's wisdom.

  • Public Discourse: "Many people sought out her sage advice on financial planning after her successful career in investments."

Less Common Forms:

Verb (rare):

  • Historical Text: "The king sagely decided to build a strong army to deter future invasions." (Excerpt from a historical biography) - This usage is uncommon in modern speech.

Adverb (rare):

  • Literature: "The old woman sagely nodded, her eyes filled with understanding." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities) - Similar to the verb form, the adverb usage is not as frequent.

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Sage

While there aren't many direct quotes featuring the word "sage" itself, here are ten famous quotes that capture the essence of wisdom and knowledge, often associated with a sage:

  1. "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." - Socrates (Greek philosopher)

  2. "The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names." - Confucius (Chinese philosopher)

  3. "Study the past if you would define the future." - Confucius (Chinese philosopher)

  4. "A fool thinks himself wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." - William Shakespeare (English playwright)

  5. "The only source of knowledge is experience." - Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist)

  6. "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." - Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist)

  7. "The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates (Greek philosopher)

  8. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi (Indian independence leader)

  9. "The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change." - Carl Rogers (American psychologist)

  10. "Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of lifelong pursuit of learning." - Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist)

Etymology

The word "sage" for wise people didn't actually start out in English! It all began with the Latin word "salvia," which referred to the herb sage. Back then, people believed the herb had special healing properties and made you smarter.

Fast forward a bit, and the French picked up the word "salvia" and turned it into "sauge." The French then shared "sauge" with English speakers sometime in the Middle Ages (around 1300-1400 AD). Over time, the meaning of the word "sage" shifted from the herb itself to the wise people who might use it. So, the word "sage" started out as a plant, then became associated with wisdom, and finally became the word we use today for someone very wise.

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Sage

  • Words of wisdom: This phrase implies advice or knowledge coming from a wise person, like a sage.

  • A sage on the stage: This refers to someone with a lot of experience and knowledge who is sharing it with others, often in a public setting like a lecture or presentation.

  • Sage advice: This directly refers to good, sound guidance given by someone wise.

  • To act with sage counsel: This means to make decisions or take actions based on careful consideration and wisdom.

  • To burn sage (less common): This idiom can have different meanings depending on the context. In some cultures, it's associated with cleansing a space of negativity.

  1. Less common idioms:

    • A sage grouse: This is a bird native to North America, but the idiom itself isn't very common.

    • To laugh like a sage: This is an obscure idiom that might refer to a wise person's knowing or subtle laughter.

Posts Related to Sage

Source Information

Definition of sage from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.