polymath: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “polymath” mean?
A person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning across many different subjects.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning across many different subjects.
Someone who excels in multiple, often disparate, fields of study or creative endeavor, embodying the Renaissance ideal of the 'universal person'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally positive and intellectual in both cultures.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British academic and biographical writing, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “polymath” in a Sentence
[be/consider] a polymathpolymath in [field] and [field]polymath known for [achievements]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “polymath” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form. The related verb 'polymathise' is obsolete and non-standard.)
American English
- (No standard verb form.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form.)
American English
- (No standard adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- His polymathic interests spanned from medieval poetry to quantum mechanics.
American English
- She possessed a polymathic grasp of law, medicine, and the arts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used in leadership contexts to describe a CEO with deep expertise in finance, technology, and marketing.
Academic
Common in history, philosophy, and biographical studies to describe historical figures with multidisciplinary achievements.
Everyday
Very rare. Used to compliment someone with exceptionally broad and deep knowledge.
Technical
Not used in technical fields as a term of art; remains a descriptive label.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “polymath”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “polymath”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “polymath”
- Using it to mean simply 'smart' or 'good at one thing'. Confusing with 'polyglot' (speaker of many languages). Misspelling as 'polymathist'. Using it in informal contexts where it sounds pretentious.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A genius denotes exceptional intellectual or creative power, which may be focused on one field. A polymath specifically denotes breadth, applying high ability across multiple, distinct fields.
Yes, but cautiously, as it is a high compliment implying exceptional and proven breadth of expertise. It is more commonly used for historical figures.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word used primarily in academic, literary, or high-register biographical contexts.
'Polymath' is gender-neutral. Historically, 'polyhistor' was also used. The phrase 'Renaissance woman' serves as a near-equivalent idiom.
A person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning across many different subjects.
Polymath is usually formal, academic, literary in register.
Polymath: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɒl.i.mæθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑː.li.mæθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A Renaissance man/woman (near-synonymous idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'POLY' (many) + 'MATH' (as in 'mathematics', but historically from Greek 'manthanein' meaning 'to learn'). A POLYMATH learns MANY subjects.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A LANDSCAPE / The polymath is an explorer who maps many territories of this landscape.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a polymath?