different between savant vs highbrow

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French savant, from Latin sapi?. Doublet of sapient.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /s??v?nt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sæv.?nt/

Noun

savant (plural savants)

1. A person of learning, especially one who is versed in literature or science.
2. A person who is considered eminent because of their achievements.
3. A person with significant mental disabilities who is very gifted in one area of activity, such as playing the piano or mental arithmetic.

   Synonym: idiot savant

Derived terms

Translations

Synonyms

• erudite
• expert
• genius

Related terms

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “savant”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• avants, sat nav, sat-nav, satnav

French

Etymology

Old present participle of the verb savoir (modern: sachant).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa.v??/

Adjective

savant (feminine singular savante, masculine plural savants, feminine plural savantes)

1. scholarly, scientific
2. perfect

   savant mélange

   perfect blend

Synonyms

• érudit, though the two are often juxtaposed (savants being portrayed as wise, the erudite as book-smart)

Derived terms

• emprunt savant
• nom savant

Related terms

• savamment
• savoir

Noun

savant m (plural savants, feminine savante)

1. scholar, scientist

Derived terms

Verb

savant

1. (obsolete) present participle of savoir

Further reading

• “savant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• avants, vantas

Romanian

Etymology

From French savant.

Noun

savant m (plural savan?i)

1. scholar, scientist

Declension

English

Etymology

A compound of the words high +? brow, first recorded usage in 1875. Referring to the (by that time discredited) science of phrenology, which suggested that a person of intelligence and sophistication would possess a higher brow-line than someone of lesser intelligence and sophistication.

Adjective

highbrow

1. (sometimes derogatory) Intellectually stimulating, highly cultured, sophisticated.

   Antonym: lowbrow

   Coordinate term: middlebrow

Translations

Noun

highbrow (plural highbrows)

1. (sometimes derogatory) A cultured or learned person or thing.

   Synonyms: intellectual, scholar

   Antonym: lowbrow

   Coordinate term: middlebrow

Translations

Further reading

• “highbrow”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• highbrow on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• ESC, 2003. Re:highbrow, middlebrow, lowbrow, The Phrase finder.
• Robert Hendrickson, 1997. Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (New York: Facts on File)