prūdentĭa, ae, f. [prudens].
I A foreseeing (very rare): id enim est sapientis providere: ex quo sapientia est appellata prudentia, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 41, 31: futurorum, id. de Sen. 21, 78.—
II Acquaintance with a thing, knowledge of a matter, skill in a matter: juris publici, Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 256: juris civilis, Nep. Cim. 2, 1: legum, Cic. Rep. 2, 36, 61; cf. id. Mur. 13, 28: physicorum, id. Div. 2, 4, 11: cani rectoris, Juv. 12, 32; 10, 48.—
B Esp., = juris prudentia, Just. Inst. praef. § 2.—
III Sagacity , good sense , intelligence , prudence , practical judgment , discretion : prudentia constat ex scientiā rerum bonarum et malarum et nec bonarum nec malarum, Cic. N. D. 3, 15, 38: prudentia tribus partibus constare videtur, memoriā, intellegentiā, providentiā, id. Inv. 2, 53, 160; cf. Auct. Her. 3, 2, 3: prudentia, quam Graeci φρόνησιν, est rerum expetendarum fugiendarumque scientia, Cic. Off. 1, 43, 153: prudentia cernitur in delectu bonorum et malorum, id. Fin. 5, 23, 67: ut medicina valetudinis, sic vivendi ars est prudentia, id. ib. 5, 6, 16: civilis prudentia, statesmanship , id. Rep. 2, 25, 46; id. Inv. 2, 53, 159: ad omnes res adhibere prudentiam, id. Att. 12, 4, 2; Col. 12, 57, 6; 1, 1, 1: rerum fato prudentia major, Verg. G. 1, 416: velox, ready , Pers. 4, 4: si ratio et prudentia curas aufert, Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 25.