polymath

noun

poly·​math ˈpä-lē-ˌmath How to pronounce polymath (audio)
Synonyms of polymath
: a person of encyclopedic learning
polymath adjective
or polymathic
ˌpä-lē-ˈma-thik How to pronounce polymath (audio)
polymathy
pə-ˈli-mə-thē How to pronounce polymath (audio) ˈpä-lə-ˌma-thē How to pronounce polymath (audio)
noun

Examples of polymath in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jane Remover is a trans polymath producer and singer-songwriter with influences across rave, shoegaze, trap and beyond. — Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 Potter and artistic polymath Kawai Kanjiro was a key figure in the 20th-century Mingei folk art movement. — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026 In fact, the German naturalist and polymath has been described as the person with more species – from penguins and monkeys to an orchid – and places named after him than any other human. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026 Leonardo was one of history’s greatest polymaths, filling notebooks with designs across a range of disciplines, including flying machines that wouldn't be realized for centuries. — ABC News, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for polymath

Word History

Etymology

Greek polymathēs very learned, from poly- + manthanein to learn — more at mathematical

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polymath was in 1624

Rhymes for polymath

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Browse Nearby Words

Polymastigina
polymath
polymathy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polymath. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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