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idiot savant

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

idiot savant

Main Entry:: idiot sa·vant
Pronunciation:: \ˈē-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ, or same as idiot and savant for respective sing and plural forms\
Function:: noun
Inflected Form(s):: plural idiots savants \-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ(z)\ or idiot savants \-ˈväⁿ(z)\
Etymology:: French, literally, learned idiot
Date:: 1927

1 : a person affected with a mental disability (as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (as mathematics or music) —called also savant 2 : a person who is highly knowledgeable about one subject but knows little about anything else

Learn more about "idiot savant" and related topics at Britannica.com

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