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Today's Word "Pansophist"

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Published in Vocabulary

pansophist \paen-SO-fist\ (noun) - Someone who leaves the impression that they know everything; a "know-it-all."

"Alan is a supercilious pansophist who doesn't impress me at all with his encyclopedia of trivia."

 

Greek pansophos "all-wise" from pan "all" + sophos "wise." The noun from the latter, sophia "knowledge, wisdom," appears in "philosophy" from Greek philosophia "love of knowledge." We have long since forgotten that "sophisticated" is supposed to mean "knowledgeable." Interesting fact: the patron saint of the Roman Catholic Church is the masculine St. Peter (the rock) while the Eastern Orthodox Church's patron saint is the feminine St. Sophia (wisdom).


 

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