savant

Borrowed from French savant, from Latin sapiō. Doublet of sapient. Sense 3 is a clipping of idiot savant, literally ‘wise idiot’.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /sæˈvɑnt/, /səˈvɑnt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsæv.ənt/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Rhymes: (General American) -ɑnt

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 or without significant mental disabilities who is very gifted in one area of activity, such as playing the piano or mental arithmetic.

   Synonym: idiot savant

• (learned person): erudite, expert

• (intellectually talented person): genius, prodigy, savante (rare female equivalent)

• Douglas Harper (2001–2025), “savant”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

• avants, sat nav, sat-nav, satnav

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

• IPA^(key): /sa.vɑ̃/

• Audio:

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• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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

1. scholarly, scientific, learned

   nom savant ― scientific name

   emprunt savant ― learned borrowing

2. clever, shrewd, skilful

   savant mélange ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. performing, trained

   singe savant ― trained monkey

   un chien savant ― a performing dog

   cheval savant ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

• savamment

savant m (plural savants, feminine savante)

1. scholar, scientist

   Near-synonym: érudit

   savant fou ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

savant

1. (obsolete) present participle of savoir

   Synonym: sachant

• “savant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• avants, vantas

savant

1. alternative form of savynge

Borrowed from French savant.

savant m (plural savanți)

1. scholar, scientist