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 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 The polymath spent his final years in France, living near Amboise on the Loire River and working under Francis I as a painter, architect and engineer. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024 Unlike typical lawyers with one specialty, Lenkov emerges as a polymath fueled by the excitement and challenges of being multifaceted. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024 It was established by eighteenth-century polymaths as an expression of the Enlightenment conviction that universal truths might be arrived at through intellectual inquiry and scientific reason. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 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 6 Jun. 2024.

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