different between savant vs sapient

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

Borrowed from Old French sapient, or its source, Latin sapi?ns. Doublet of savant.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?se?p??nt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?se?pi?nt/

Adjective

sapient (comparative more sapient, superlative most sapient)

1. Attempting to appear wise or discerning.
   • 1890, Henry James, The Tragic Muse.

     "... A man would blush to say to himself in the darkness of the night the things he stands up on a platform in the garish light of day to stuff into the ears of a multitude whose intelligence he pretends that he esteems.... Therefore, why be sapient and solemn about it, like an editorial in a newspaper?" Nick added, with a smile.

   • 2010, Christopher Hitchens, Hitch-22, Atlantic 2011, p. 217:

     In Europe I had been told by sapient academics that there wasn't really any class system in the United States: well, you couldn't prove that by the conditions in California's agribusinesses, or indeed its urban factories.

2. (dated) Possessing wisdom and discernment; wise, learned.
   • c. 1605, William Shakespeare, King Lear, Act III, Scene 6, [1]

     [To Edgar] Come, sit thou here, most learned justicer. / [To the Fool] Thou, sapient sir, sit here.

   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 9, lines 439-43, [2]

     Spot more delicious than those gardens feigned / Or of revived Adonis, or renowned / Alcinous, host of old Laertes' son, / Or that, not mystic, where the sapient king / Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian spouse.

   • 1839, "Bewitched Butter" in W. B. Yates (ed.), Irish Fairy and Folk Tales (1892), Barnes & Noble, 2009, p. 295,

     She had five or six cows; but it was observed by her sapient neighbors that she sold more butter every year than other farmers' wives who had twenty.

3. (chiefly science fiction) Of a species or life-form, possessing intelligence or self-awareness.

Synonyms

• (possessing wisdom): See Thesaurus:wise
• (possessing self-awareness): See Thesaurus:self-aware

Related terms

Translations

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) , “sapient”, in Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford, Oxfordshire; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ?ISBN, page 169
• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2021) , “sapient adj.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

Noun

sapient (plural sapients)

1. (chiefly science fiction) An intelligent, self-aware being.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:sentient

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) , “sapient”, in Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford, Oxfordshire; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ?ISBN, page 169
• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2021) , “sapient n.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “sapient”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• painest, panties, pantsie, patines, peisant, pianets, pinates, ptisane, spinate

Latin

Verb

sapient

1. third-person plural future active indicative of sapi?

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sapi?ns. Compare savant

Adjective

sapient m (oblique and nominative feminine singular sapient or sapiente)

1. wise; sapient

Declension

Related terms

• sapience
• sapientement

Descendants

• ? English: sapient
• French: sapient

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sapi?ns, sapientis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sa.pi?ent/

Adjective

sapient m or n (feminine singular sapient?, masculine plural sapien?i, feminine and neuter plural sapiente)

1. (rare) learned, wise

Declension

Synonyms

• în?elept, savant, înv??at, doct, erudit

Related terms

• sapien??