Added 9 October 2026
savant
/sæˈvɑnt/ noun
Latin root: sapiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about savant at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A person of learning, especially one who is versed in literature or science.
- A person who is considered eminent because of their achievements.
- A person with or without significant mental disabilities who is very gifted in one area of activity, such as playing the piano or mental arithmetic.
Origin
Borrowed from French savant, from Latin sapiō. Doublet of sapient. Sense 3 is a clipping of idiot savant, literally ‘wise idiot’.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)