especially: one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)
2
: a person affected with a developmental disorder (such as autism or intellectual disability) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (such as mathematics or music)
Savant comes from Latin sapere ("to be wise") by way of Middle French, where savant is the present participle of savoir, meaning "to know." Savant shares roots with the English words sapient ("possessing great wisdom") and sage ("having or showing wisdom through reflection and experience"). The term is sometimes used in common parlance to refer to a person who demonstrates extraordinary knowledge in a particular subject, or an extraordinary ability to perform a particular task (such as complex arithmetic), but who has much more limited capacities in other areas.
Recent Examples on the WebFielder, a thirty-nine-year-old comedian from Canada, is a savant of cringe. Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 With roles at brands such as Sony and Facebook on her résumé, Randolph is something of an advertising and business-development savant. Jordan Ligons, Essence, 26 June 2022 And the current crop of Dominicans, from legacy talents like Vladimir Guerrero and Fernando Tatis, a generational hitting savant like Juan Soto and dynamic stars such as Ronald Acuña Jr. ensure that this group stands up to any. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2022 The prolific singer, songwriter, arranger and composer was a musical savant that played several instruments.Essence, 19 May 2022 Mark Riddell, a standardized test-taking savant, was paid to either ace SATs and ACTs in students' place, or correct the students' answers before they were handed in, prosecutors said. Jason Hanna, CNN, 8 Apr. 2022 Beating the Hawks starts with containing two-time All-Star point guard Trae Young -- a pick-and-roll savant who ranked sixth in scoring and third in assists this season. Chris Fedor, cleveland, 14 Apr. 2022 The test-taking savant who helped rich kids cheat their way into elite colleges was sentenced Friday. Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, 9 Apr. 2022 The Dallas Mavericks’ young savant shredded the Cavaliers’ undermanned defense, leading the Mavericks to a 120-112 win in the finale of Cleveland’s three-game homestand. Chris Fedor, cleveland, 30 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
French, from Middle French, from present participle of savoir to know, from Latin sapere to be wise — more at sage