polymath en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈpɑliˌmæθ/ (General-American)
- /ˈpɑlɪmæθ/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈpɒlɪmæθ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πολυμαθής (polumathḗs, “having learnt much”), first attested in 1624. From πολύς (polús, “much”) (for more, see poly-) + μανθάνω (manthánō, “to learn”). Compare opsimath, philomath, polyhistor, polymathic, polymathist, and polymathy.
Meanings
-
A person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge.
A bit of a polymath, he was crucial in the early development of the railways in this country.
2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques”, in RAIL, number 947, page 56:To be thought and held Polumathes and Polihistors.
1624, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (2ⁿᵈ edn.), p.6
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| polymathe | alternative | lexicographic | |
| polumathe | alternative | lexicographic | |
| polymaths | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
automath · opsimath · monomath
Deriveds
Relateds
factotum · handyman · polymathy · sciolist · polymathist · jack of all trades
Synonyms
Translations (60)
sv universalsnille (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · cy polymath (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ro polimat (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ru учёный (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pl polimat (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ja 博識者 (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · scn pulìmatu (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fr polymathe (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · sv polyhistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pl człowiek renesansu (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · is fjölfræðingur (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · cmn 學識淵博的人 /学识渊博的人 (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ru полима́т (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fi monitietäjä (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ca polímata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · oc polimata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · mk еруди́т (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ar بحر العلوم (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · sv universalgeni (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fi yleisnero (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pl encyklopedysta (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ru эруди́т (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pl uczony (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · scn pulìmata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pt polímato (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · bg еруди́т (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · el πολυμαθής (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fi polyhistori (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · nl alleskunner (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fa پردانش (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · gl polímata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · tr allame (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · grc πολυΐστωρ (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · mk енциклопеди́ст (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · de Universalgelehrter (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · it polimata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · nl veelweter (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pl polihistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · cs renesanční člověk (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · it uomo universale (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · cmn 博學的人 /博学的人 (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · de Polyhistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fa همهچیزدان (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · bg енциклопеди́ст (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · it polimate (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · bg у́чен (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · scn spertu (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ro polihistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · pt polímata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · sh polihistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · la homō ūniversālis (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · it erudito (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · fr homme de la Renaissance (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · es polímata (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · sv universalbegåvning (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ar عَلَّامَة (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ug ئەللامە (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · ota علامه (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · cs polyhistor (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge) · nl renaissancemens (person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge)