connoisseur

noun

con·​nois·​seur ˌkä-nə-ˈsər How to pronounce connoisseur (audio)
 also  -ˈsu̇r
1
: expert
especially : one who understands the details, technique, or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge
a connoisseur of music
2
: one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties
a connoisseur of fine wines
connoisseurship
ˌkä-nə-ˈsər-ˌship How to pronounce connoisseur (audio)
 also  -ˈsu̇r-
noun

Examples of connoisseur in a Sentence

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, now starring in Broadway's A Raisin in the Sun, takes his grooming rituals seriously. "I take a bath around 3 a.m. when I get home to wind down. I'm a bath connoisseur," says Combs, 34. "I have bath salts, bath beads—I can make you the best bath in the world." Ann Marie Cruz, People, 14 June 2004
Police reporting had made me a connoisseur of auto accidents. Some people could tell a fake Rembrandt from the real thing; I could tell a run-of-the-mill fender bender from a real accident. Russell Baker, The Good Times, 1989
It was apple juice. Ortiz watched him drink it with all the delicacy of a wine connoisseur sampling new bordeaux. Tom Clancy, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, (1988) 1989
He was a voracious reader, a strong critic, an art connoisseur in certain directions, a collector of books, but above all he was a man of the world by profession, and loved the contacts—perhaps the collisions—of society. Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1907
She is a connoisseur of African art. a forthcoming exhibit at the art museum that is eagerly awaited by connoisseurs of ancient Greek pottery
Recent Examples on the Web Brunson has a connoisseur’s appreciation for sitcoms, and for the constrained pleasures of a fictional world that stays nearly the same week after week. Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 Mattel, who says the impetus behind starting The Bald and the Beautiful was a desire to do a project that doesn’t involve hours of drag-prep time, is a connoisseur of podcasts. Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 The dictionary of coffee recipes is vast and varied, potentially overwhelming newcomers and fascinating connoisseurs. Nick Mourtoupalas, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Josh Brolin — actor, poet, three-time Saturday Night Live host, and ice bath connoisseur — is no stranger to embracing discomfort. Shania Russell, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2024 Now, the French bakery is seeing TikTok users and sweet connoisseurs flocking there to enjoy the tasty creation. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 The founder of Black In Corporate is a smartly dressed fashion connoisseur who is regularly tapped to attend shows during Fashion Month. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 6 Mar. 2024 Featuring a flavor profile of sweet honey, warm vanilla, and smooth bourbon notes, Queen of Versailles Coffee’s debut line is shaping up to be a hit amongst coffee connoisseurs. Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 On trial are rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia connoisseurs Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski. CBS News, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'connoisseur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

obsolete French (now connaisseur), from Old French connoisseor, from connoistre to know, from Latin cognoscere — more at cognition

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of connoisseur was in 1714

Dictionary Entries Near connoisseur

Cite this Entry

“Connoisseur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connoisseur. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

connoisseur

noun
con·​nois·​seur ˌkän-ə-ˈsər How to pronounce connoisseur (audio)
-ˈsu̇(ə)r
: a person qualified to act as a judge in matters of taste and appreciation
connoisseurship noun
Etymology

from obsolete French connoisseur "expert," from early French connoisseor (same meaning), from connoistre "to know," from Latin cognoscere "to know" — related to incognito, recognize

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