Savant

WORD OF THE DAY

savant / noun / sa-VAHNT

Definition
1a: a person of learning
1b: one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)
2: a person affected with a developmental disorder (such as autism or intellectual disability) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (such as mathematics or music)
2b : autistic savant

Example
Ever since he was a child growing up in Melbourne, Florida, [Rivian Automotive CEO, Robert Joseph] Scaringe wanted to start his own car company. He had developed a reputation as an automotive savant and tinkered on cars in his spare time, even keeping parts in his bedroom.”
— Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Business, 22 Nov. 2022

With roles at brands such as Sony and Facebook on her résumé, Randolph is something of an advertising and business-development savant.
—Jordan Ligons, Essence, 26 June 2022

Did You Know?
Word-loving Homo sapiens will appreciate how much there is to know about savant. For one, savant comes ultimately from the Latin word sapere (“to be wise”) by way of Middle French, where savant is the present participle of savoir, meaning “to know.”
Second, savant shares roots with the English words sapient (“possessing great wisdom”) and sage (“very wise”) (as well as Homo sapiens).
Finally, the term is sometimes used to refer to a person who demonstrates extraordinary knowledge in a particular subject or has an extraordinary ability to perform a particular task (such as complex mathematics) but has more limited capacities in other area