Astute means quick to see what is really going on. An astute observer, astute judgement, politically astute.
It praises perception rather than cleverness in general: an astute reader notices what is not said. It is used constantly of political and business judgement, and it carries a hint of self-interest — an astute move is one that serves you well. Note astutely, astuteness; and that the Latin behind it means craft, so the word began nearer cunning than wisdom.
1adjectiveastuteQuick to see what is really going on.
“She's an astute businesswoman who spotted the gap in the market years before anyone else.”
synonyms: shrewd, perceptive
astute is a quality of perception.
Latin astutus comes from astus, craft or cunning. The English word kept the sharpness and lost most of the deviousness.
Latin
astūtus
English, today
astute
Built from
From Latin astūtus, from astus (“craft”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Sharper Adjectives