Acutance
/ˈæk.jə.təns/noun
The perceived sharpness or crispness of an image, especially in photography and optics.
Did you know?Acutance comes from the same ancient root as words for a spear point and a razor-sharp mind: Latin *acutus* meant “sharp,” and its lineage is basically the language of edges, blades, and precision.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
acutus
“sharp, pointed, keen”
Late Latin
Latin
acutantia
“sharpness, keenness”
19th Century
English
acutance
“sharpness or keenness, especially of visual perception”
Modern English
English
acutance
“the perceptual sharpness of an image”