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sage

/sāj/

noun

One venerated for experience, judgment, and wisdom.
Any of various plants of the genus Salvia of the mint family, especially S. officinalis, having aromatic grayish-green leaves.
The leaves of S. officinalis used as a seasoning.
Any of various similar or related plants, chiefly in the mint family.
Sagebrush.

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. More at Wordnik

Etymonline

etymonline.com › word › sage

Sage - Etymology, Origin & Meaning

"wise, judicious, prudent," c. 1300 (late 12c. as a surname), from Old French sage "wise,… See origin and meaning of sage.

Spanish Etymology

spanishetymology.com › the nerdy way to learn: spanish › true spanish etymology stories › saber and sage

Saber and Sage - Spanish Etymology, Learning Spanish

October 7, 2025 - From the same Latin root, we get (via French) the English word… sage. Sagacity is a form of wisdom — which is a form of knowledge. The s-b to s-g mapping is clear, and the -b- and -g- have similar soft sounds. Nerds love to pattern-match, to find commonalities among everything. Our approach to learning languages revolves (the same -volve- that is in “volver”, to “return”) around connecting the Spanish words to the related English words via their common etymologies – to find the linguistic patterns, because these patterns become easy triggers to remember what words mean.

Collins Dictionary

collinsdictionary.com › us › dictionary › english › sage

SAGE definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

7 senses: 1. a man revered for his profound wisdom 2. profoundly wise or prudent 3. obsolete solemn 1. a perennial.... Click for more definitions.

Wiktionary

en.wiktionary.org › wiki › sage

sage - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English sage, from Old French sage (11th century), from Vulgar Latin *sapium, from Latin sapere (“to taste, to discern, to be wise”).

Ancestry

ancestry.com › first-name-meaning › sage

Sage : Meaning and Origin of First Name | Search Family History on Ancestry®.

Is your given name, Sage, a first in your family tree? Part of a cultural tradition? Ancestry® can tell you your first name’s origins plus its meaning.

The Bump

thebump.com › baby names home

Sage - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity

February 8, 2017 - This baby name references the Seven Sages of Greece, ancient philosophers who promoted different principles, including "moderation is best in all things” and “Know thyself.” Actress Toni Collette wisely chose the name for her daughter ...

Merriam-Webster

merriam-webster.com › dictionary › sage

SAGE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

1 week ago - : sagebrush · 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," ...

FamilyEducation

familyeducation.com › baby-names › name-meaning › sage

Sage: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration - FamilyEducation

January 21, 2025 - The name Sage means "wise one" and comes from Latin, English, and French origin.

BetterWords Online

betterwordsonline.com › dictionary › sage

Sage - Definition, Meaning, Synonyms & Etymology

Over time, 'sage' found its way into Middle English, where it evolved to describe a person who is recognized for their profound wisdom and deep understanding, often gained through extensive life experience and reflection. The etymology of 'sage' highlights the longstanding association between wisdom and the qualities of good judgment and discernment, which continue to define the concept of a sage in modern usage.

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Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Sage_(philosophy)

Sage (philosophy) - Wikipedia

October 29, 2025 - A sage (Ancient Greek: σοφός, sophós), in classical philosophy, is someone who has attained wisdom. The term has also been used interchangeably with a 'good person' (Ancient Greek: ἀγαθός, agathós), and a 'virtuous person' (Ancient Greek: σπουδαῖος, spoudaîos).

In Platonism and Aristotelianism

In Epicureanism

In Stoicism

reddit.com › r › etymology › comments › dofw5u › help_understanding_the_etymology_of_sage

r/etymology - Help understanding the etymology of "sage"

July 16, 2016 -

As it is shown here: https://www.etymonline.com/word/sage#etymonline_v_22601

I do not entirely understand the leap from Gallo-Roman *sabius to Old French sage. I tried to figure it out on my own earlier and had a rough idea, but I figured I would also ask because my idea is probably reaching.

EDIT (ripped from comments):

It appears as though I've answered this myself:

https://books.google.com/books?id=X5dDAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA5#v=onepage&q&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=tVkzAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA115#v=onepage&q&f=false

I couldn't find an explanation for the rule at the time, but I guess in a clearer mind I found it this time and it makes sense now. I also skipped over the relevant rules places like here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonological_history_of_French#Chronological_history

Top answer

1 of 1

Doesn't look like it: the plant comes from the same place as "safe" (PIE (Proto-Indo-European) root *sol - "whole") while the wise meaning comes from the PIE root *sap - "to taste."

Parenting Patch

parentingpatch.com › home › baby names › sage

Sage - Baby Name, Origin, Meaning, And Popularity | Parenting Patch

The name Sage has roots in Latin, where it means 'wise.' It is also associated with the aromatic herb, which has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes throughout history. In modern times, Sage has gained popularity as a unisex name, ...

Behind the Name

behindthename.com › name › sage

Meaning, origin and history of the name Sage - Behind the Name

July 1, 2008 - From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

NamingQuest

namingquest.com › name-insights › first-name-female › sage

Sage - Female Name Meaning and Origin | NamingQuest

The name Sage is derived from the English word sage, which means wise.

Ucdavis

nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu › sage

Sage – Nutritional Geography

SAGE (Salvia officinalis): Origin: native to the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor. Sage is associated with Jupiter and was thought by the Romans to facilitate memory and to quicken the senses. Known throughout the Mediterranean and associated with immortality, chewing sage has been credited in mythology with increasing mental capacity.