This noun denotes perception, discernment, or the faculty of moral and spiritual judgment. Classical usage emphasized sense-perception and the organs of sense, but it extends to mental and moral discernment. Paul uses it in Philippians 1:9 praying that the Philippians' love would "abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment." The term suggests not merely intellectual knowledge but perceptive insight that can make fine moral distinctions. It's the sensitivity to perceive what is excellent, the cultivated ability to discern between competing goods and to recognize subtle differences in ethical and spiritual matters.