maven

noun

ma·​ven ˈmā-vən 

variants or less commonly mavin

: one who is experienced or knowledgeable : expert

a language maven

policy mavens

computer mavens

also : freak sense 4a

Synonyms

• ace
• adept
• artist
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• maestro
• master
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of maven in a Sentence

an investment maven, he was doing well even when the market was doing poorly

a science-fiction maven who could talk for hours about fictional technology

Recent Examples on the Web

The romantic comedy follows an advertising maven named Kelly Jones (Johansson), who’s sent to NASA in 1969 to help market the moon landing. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 13 July 2024

Nor should the lobster roll, with meat served warm or cold and heaped onto a fresh-baked split-top bun from the bread mavens at nearby Little Spruce Baking Company. —Briana Bononcini, Bon Appétit, 3 July 2024

These iconic looks were often courtesy of the style maven Misa Hylton’s doing. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 1 July 2024

At the time, PR mavens Max Rosey and Mortimer Matz thought a hot dog eating competition would drum up some publicity for Nathan’s. —Elise Hammond, CNN, 29 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish meyvn, from Late Hebrew mēbhīn

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above