polymath

noun

poly·​math ˈpä-lē-ˌmath How to pronounce polymath (audio)
: a person of encyclopedic learning
polymath adjective
or polymathic

Examples of polymath in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the arcane tradition of Thomas De Quincey’s 1821 work Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, this slim nonfiction book by a Belgian polymath diaries one man’s narcotic self-experiments. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024 He was joined there by his friend Dan Sullivan, a fellow polymath, who has also collected a staggering number of credentials. Joseph Bernstein Robert Petkoff Krish Seenivasan Devin Murphy, New York Times, 3 June 2024 The film will be based on Walter Isaacson’s 2017 biography of Leonardo, a sprawling tome based largely on the polymath’s notebooks. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024 While the staging is shot through with explosive moments in its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the tragedy of the 17th-century polymath never catches fire in this sluggish three-hour-long production. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for polymath 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polymath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek polymathēs very learned, from poly- + manthanein to learn — more at mathematical

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polymath was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near polymath

Cite this Entry

“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polymath. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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