sage
gb/sˈeɪd͡ʒ/ us/sˈeɪd͡ʒ/
B1
English
~ 7500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Aromatic herb used in cooking
A plant with soft gray-green leaves that people use to give food more flavor.
Usage pattern:
to add [sage] to [a dish]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this plant meaning with the meaning of a 'wise person'. Also, they may treat it as countable when talking about the herb in general, saying *"I added some sages"* instead of *"I added some sage"* or *"a few sage leaves"*.
Synonyms
herb (More general; refers to any leafy plant used for flavor, not this specific plant.)
Antonyms
meat (Contrasts a plant-based flavoring ingredient with an animal-based main ingredient in cooking.)
Collocations
fresh sage
|dried sage
|sage leaves
|sage and onion
|sage stuffing
|rubbed sage
Themes
food
|cooking
|plants
|food_drink
|nature
Examples
- She added fresh sage to the pan to flavor the butter.
- The recipe calls for a teaspoon of dried sage and some garlic.
- We grow rosemary, thyme, and sage in a small herb garden by the kitchen.
- Sage and onion stuffing is a classic side dish for roast chicken.
- He rubbed the turkey with sage and lemon before roasting it.
Learner examples
- I put some sage on the chicken to make it taste better.
- We have a pot of sage on the balcony.
- This soup has a strong smell of sage.
- She bought dried sage from the market.
- He chopped the sage leaves very finely.
Noun
literary
B2
entity
2
Person known for great wisdom
A person people think is very wise and gives very good advice.
Usage pattern:
[someone] consults a sage for [advice/guidance]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'sage' always means 'an old man', but it can be used for any very wise person, including women, especially in modern usage. They may also overuse it in everyday speech, where words like 'expert', 'advisor', or 'teacher' are more natural.
Synonyms
wise man (More everyday; often male-specific, while 'sage' can be gender-neutral or literary.)
|
guru (Often suggests a spiritual teacher or a trend leader, not just a thoughtful elder.)
Antonyms
fool (A person who shows very poor judgment, the opposite of a wise and respected sage.)
Collocations
wise sage
|old sage
|village sage
|ancient sage
|consult a sage
|the words of a sage
Themes
people
|character
|religion
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In the story, a young prince travels to the mountains to seek a sage who can answer his questions about life.
- She spoke with the calm certainty of a sage who had seen many generations come and go.
- The village sage was known for settling disputes with just a few carefully chosen words.
- Philosophers of the ancient world were often described as sages rather than scholars.
- People came from far away to hear the old sage speak about justice and mercy.
Learner examples
- Many people in the town see him as a sage.
- In the movie, a sage helps the hero make a big choice.
- The boy asked the sage, "What is real happiness?"
- She listened to the words of the sage.
- They went to the mountain to find a wise sage.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
Showing deep, thoughtful wisdom
Very wise in a quiet, serious way, especially in what someone says or advises.
Usage pattern:
sage [advice/words/counsel/remark]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use 'sage' before people, as in *"a sage woman"*, which is possible but rare; it is much more common before abstract nouns like 'advice', 'words', or 'counsel'. They also sometimes confuse the pronunciation with 'sag'.
Synonyms
wise (More common and general; 'sage' sounds more formal and serious.)
|
prudent (Focuses more on being careful and avoiding risk, not always on deep life wisdom.)
Antonyms
foolish (Describes advice or behavior that shows bad judgment, the opposite of sage guidance.)
Collocations
sage advice
|sage words
|sage counsel
|sage remark
|sage observation
|sage guidance
Themes
communication
|character
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her sage advice was to save a little money every month, no matter how small the amount.
- He nodded with a sage expression, as if he had seen this mistake many times before.
- The article offers some sage guidance for first-time homebuyers.
- Making a backup of your work every day is a sage habit.
- She made the sage decision to rest rather than push through her illness.
Learner examples
- My grandfather often gives me sage advice.
- That was a very sage comment about planning for the future.
- It is sage to wait and see before you act.
- Her sage words helped me feel calm.
- Saving some money each month is a sage idea.
adjective
B2
property
4
Soft gray-green in color
Light gray-green in color, like the leaves of the sage plant.
Usage pattern:
sage [green/walls/fabric/coat]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that 'sage' can describe a color and think it always refers to the plant or to wisdom. They may also confuse 'sage' with other green shades like 'mint' or 'olive'.
Synonyms
gray-green (A more general color term; does not specifically suggest the plant.)
Antonyms
bright red (A strong, vivid warm color that contrasts with the soft, muted tone of sage.)
Collocations
sage green
|sage walls
|sage sofa
|sage sweater
|sage curtains
|soft sage tones
Themes
colors
|home
|fashion
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They painted the kitchen a calm sage green that looks good in natural light.
- She chose a sage wool coat because the muted color goes with everything.
- The designer recommended sage walls with white trim for a relaxing bedroom.
- Sage throw pillows added a soft touch of color to the gray sofa.
- He prefers earthy tones like taupe, beige, and sage in his living room.
Learner examples
- The walls in our bedroom are sage green.
- She bought a sage dress for the wedding.
- I like soft colors like sage and beige.
- We chose a sage sofa for the living room.
- His shirt is a light sage color.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sage
IPA
GB/sˈeɪd͡ʒ/
US/sˈeɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
sage (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sage)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sage
Noun
- Base: sage
- Plural: sage, sages
Word family
Forms
sages
noun
Core family
sagely
adverb
Advanced or less common
sagacity
noun C1
sagacious
adjective
Expressions
sage advice
1/sˈeɪd͡ʒ ædvˈaɪs/
fixed phrase
formal
Very wise, thoughtful advice
Advice that is very wise and helpful, usually given in a calm, serious way.
Examples
- Her sage advice to pay off small debts first saved me a lot of stress later.
- He offered one piece of sage advice: never sign a contract you do not fully understand.
- Following her grandfather's sage advice, she kept an emergency fund in the bank.
sage green
1/sˈeɪd͡ʒ ɡɹˈin/
fixed phrase
Soft pale gray-green color
A light gray-green color, like the leaves of the sage plant.
Examples
- They chose sage green for the kitchen cabinets to create a calm, natural look.
- Sage green is popular in interior design because it feels both fresh and relaxing.
wise old sage
1/wˈaɪz ˈoʊld sˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
literary
Very wise elderly person
An old person, usually a man in stories, who is very wise and gives important advice.
Examples
- In many fantasy novels, a wise old sage appears just in time to guide the young hero.
- The film avoids the cliché of the wise old sage and instead lets the characters learn from their own mistakes.