Added 9 October 2026
maven
/ˈmeɪvn̩/ noun
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about maven at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field.
Origin
From Yiddish מבֿין (meyvn, “connoisseur, expert, know-it-all”), from Hebrew מֵבִין (mevín, “one who understands, connoisseur, expert”), from הֵבִין (hevín, “to understand”). The word is said to have been popularized by its use in an advertising campaign for Vita Herring launched in the United States in 1964, which had a character called the “beloved [herring] maven” promoting the product.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)