Polymath

Pronunciation

• RP enPR: pŏʹlÄ­măth, IPA: /ˈpÉ’lɪmæθ/
• UK enPR: pŏʹlÄ­măth, IPA: /ˈpÉ’lɪmaθ/
• US enPR: pŏʹlimăth', IPA: /ˈpÉ‘liËŒmæθ/

Alternative forms

• polumathe, polymathe both 17th century

Origin

First attested in 1624; from the Ancient Greek πολυμαθής (polumathēs, "having learnt much"), from πολύς (polus, "much") + μάθη (mathē, “learning”; from μανθάνω, manthanō “I learn”); compare opsimath, philomath, polyhistor, polymathic, polymathist, and polymathy, as well as the French polymathe.

Full definition of polymath

Noun

1. A person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge.
• 1624, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (second edition), page 6:To be thought and held Polumathes and Polihistors.

Synonyms

• polyhistor
• renaissance man

Antonyms

• monomath

Related terms

• automath
• polymathy
• polymathic
• polymathist

Coordinate terms

• factotum, handyman, jack of all trades, sciolist