what is wisdom

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "what is wisdom" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when asking for a definition or explanation of wisdom. Example: "In philosophy, the question of what is wisdom has been debated for centuries." Alternative expressions include "what constitutes wisdom" and "the nature of wisdom."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But what is wisdom, really?

The New York Times

What is wisdom?

SEP

The mystery is: what is wisdom if he has it and the others lack it?

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

What is his wisdom?

The New Yorker

What is this wisdom that has been given to him?

The New Yorker

But what is conventional wisdom in Brussels, Berlin and government offices in Athens may not be so for Greece's increasingly fed-up voters.

The New York Times

What is the wisdom of its use?

Neurotherapeutics

In Metaphysics A.1, Aristotle says that "all men suppose what is called wisdom (sophia) to deal with the first causes (aitia) and the principles (archai) of things" (981b28), and it is these causes and principles that he proposes to study in this work.

SEP

What is your wisdom today?

WikiHow

Cheng: Good Mentors, what is Stasis-Wisdom like?

Functional Linguistics

This essay addresses three questions pertaining to the assertion that ecological wisdom connotes both Platonian sophia (theoretical wisdom) and Aristotelian phronesis (practical wisdom): What is Aristotelian phronesis in the context of ecological wisdom?

Landscape and Urban Planning

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the tone of your surrounding text matches the gravity of the question, as it typically introduces complex subject matter.

Common error

Avoid using "what is wisdom" as a relative clause within a statement without adjusting the word order. For example, use "I wonder <a href="/s/what+wisdom+is" target="_blank" rel="alternative">what wisdom is" instead of "I wonder what is wisdom".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what is wisdom" functions as a standard interrogative sentence consisting of the interrogative pronoun "what", the linking verb "is" and the subject noun "wisdom". According to Ludwig, it is used to solicit a definition or an ontological explanation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "what is wisdom" is a foundational English inquiry used to explore one of humanity's most complex virtues. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and its high prevalence in intellectual discourse, particularly within Science, Philosophy and News & Media. While the exact string matches are relatively specific, variations of this question are common in reliable sources like The New York Times and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Writers should use it to introduce deep thematic explorations but be careful to distinguish between the direct question and its clause form, "what wisdom is", depending on the sentence structure. Overall, it remains a powerful tool for setting a reflective and serious tone in high-quality writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the nature of wisdom

Shifts the focus from a direct question to a conceptual exploration of wisdom's characteristics.

the meaning of wisdom

Focuses on the definition and interpretation of the word rather than its inherent qualities.

what constitutes wisdom

More formal phrasing that asks what elements or parts make up the concept.

the essence of wisdom

Uses more philosophical language to seek the core or most important part of wisdom.

the concept of wisdom

Treats wisdom as an abstract idea to be analyzed theoretically.

what wisdom entails

Suggests that wisdom involves certain requirements, actions or consequences.

defining wisdom

Transforms the question into an active process of establishing a definition.

wisdom's true meaning

Implies there might be a deeper or less obvious definition than the standard one.

how one defines wisdom

Personalizes the inquiry by focusing on the subjective or methodological approach to defining it.

the characteristics of wisdom

Focuses on the specific traits or features associated with wise behavior.

FAQs

How to use "what is wisdom" in a sentence?

You can use it as a direct question to start a discussion, such as: "Before we begin the lecture, we must first ask: "what is wisdom"?"

What is the difference between "what is wisdom" and "the nature of wisdom"?

While both address the same topic, "what is wisdom" is a direct inquiry, whereas "the nature of wisdom" is a noun phrase often used as a title or a subject in more academic contexts.

What can I say instead of "what is wisdom"?

Depending on your tone, you might use "what constitutes wisdom" for a formal tone or "the meaning of wisdom" for a general conceptual discussion.

Which is correct: "what is wisdom" or "what wisdom is"?

"what is wisdom" is the correct order for a question, while "what wisdom is" is used when the phrase is embedded as a clause in a sentence, like in "She knows what wisdom is."