polymath 1 of 2

noun

Definition of polymathnext
as in genius
formal someone who knows a lot about many different things She is rightly regarded as something of a polymath in her extensive knowledge of all the earth sciences.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

polymath

2 of 2

adjective

variants or polymathic
as in erudite

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of polymath
Noun
By comparing shadows at two locations, the Greek polymath Eratosthenes becomes the first person to accurately calculate the circumference of the earth. — New York Times, 17 July 2026 One artist who inspired Kelela’s approach to world-building is her close friend Solange Knowles, a polymath whose work includes music, performance art, design, teaching and amplifying Black artistry through her Saint Heron platform. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 Jane Remover is a trans polymath producer and singer-songwriter with influences across rave, shoegaze, trap and beyond. — Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 Inspired by the German polymath Alexander von Humboldt’s travels in South America and his ensuing argument for the interdependence of all natural entities, the young Church embarked on a nearly seven-month expedition in Humboldt’s footsteps. — Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for polymath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polymath
  1. genius
  2. erudite
  3. virtuoso
  4. literate
  5. wizard
  6. scholarly
  7. thinker
  8. academic
Noun
  • The other two albums are devoted to the legendary bebop pianist, composer and improvisation genius Thelonius Monk.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The genius duo includes a lighter shade and a darker shade of the same undertone to create a seamless blend that doesn’t look heavy.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of genius
Adjective
  • Like Dante, Nick Tosches was an undaunted character whose tongue-twisting prose was an iconoclastic mash-up of realism and intricate, erudite lyricism.
    — A.D. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Prolific author and erudite British import David Thomson has been writing about film for more than six decades.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Definition of erudite
Noun
  • Peart was a one-of-a-kind virtuoso, one of the greatest drummers rock ever knew, his monstrously complex parts so intrinsic to Rush’s sound that the idea of replacing him long seemed unfathomable.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The decade featured some of the most revered and celebrated virtuosos to ever walk the planet, both critically and commercially.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of virtuoso
Adjective
  • The teams experimenting organically, building their own use cases, are the AI-literate pockets.
    — Ayaskant Sarangi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Hitler came to power in a highly literate Germany, but the Nazis took advantage of movies and radio to push simple messages with immediate emotional impact.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 27 July 2026
Definition of literate
Noun
  • Hoult’s Gilderoy Lockhart a notoriously vain, boastful and fame-obsessed wizard well versed in Memory Charms who is recruited by Dumbledore as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But then they’re interrupted by Wil Wheaton, who’s a wizard in this universe.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of wizard
Adjective
  • Katz is known for a curatorial ethos that places scholarly rigor and popular appeal on equal footing.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faculty hiring and promotion should be based on scholarly merit through peer review, not political expectations imposed from Washington.
    — Marybeth Gasman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of scholarly
Noun
  • It’s been my privilege to learn, from scholars and thinkers and writers far more deeply rooted than myself in the American west, about its realities and relentless contradictions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Muslim thinkers debated how to revitalize their societies and overcome colonial domination.
    — Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of thinker
Adjective
  • For students learning online, Darren Harper, the lead academic and enrichment counselor at Crimson Global Academy, says to invest in a quality headset.
    — Adrienne Farr, Parents, 15 Aug. 2026
  • After four years of medical school, plus two more of academic research and clinical rotations, our son Asher was ready to begin his surgical residency at a prominent New York hospital.
    — Allan Ripp, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of academic

Browse Nearby Words

polyhistors
polymath
polymaths
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polymath. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All