See also: idiot-savant

English

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Etymology

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From French idiot savant, literally ‘wise idiot’.

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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idiot savant (plural idiots savants or idiot savants)

  1. (possibly derogatory) A person who exhibits an extraordinary ability in one subject (often mathematics) whilst being intellectually disabled in many other domains.
    • 2014 May 11, Ivan Hewett, “Piano Man: a Life of John Ogdon by Charles Beauclerk, review: A new biography of the great British pianist whose own genius destroyed him [print version: A colossus off-key, 10 May 2014, p. R27]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)[1]:
      The temptation is to regard him [John Ogdon] as an idiot savant, a big talent bottled inside a recalcitrant body and accompanied by a personality that seems not just unremarkable, but almost entirely blank.

Usage notes

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  • The more current term is savant.

Synonyms

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