sciolist

English

Etymology

From Late Latin sciolus, diminutive of Latin scius (“knowing”), from sciō (“I know”). It first appears in English at the beginning of the 17th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsaɪəlɪst/

Noun

sciolist (plural sciolists)

1. One who exhibits only superficial knowledge; a self-proclaimed expert with little real understanding.
   • 2003, Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (Penguin), p. 290:

     Walter is [...] a dupe to the half-baked speculations of every sciolist from Descartes down to ‘Coglionissimo Borri’, and a pack of other dunces.

Synonyms

• factotum, handyman, jack of all trades

Anagrams

• solicits