The quality of being sharp, keen, or clever in mind; intelligence expressed through subtle wit or keen observation.
From the adjective 'argute' (Latin 'argutus') combined with the English noun suffix '-ness,' which converts adjectives into abstract nouns describing their qualities.
The '-ness' suffix allowed speakers to talk about 'arguteness' as a trait someone could possess—like a sharpness of mind that made them stand out in intellectual company, a quality valued in philosophy and debate.
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