idiot savant

[ id-ee-uht sa-vahnt, suh-vant, sav-uhnt; French ee-dyoh sa-vahn ]

noun,plural id·i·ot sa·vants, French id·i·ots sa·vants [ee-dyoh sa-vahn]. /i dyoʊ saˈvɑ̃/. Psychiatry.
  1. a mentally defective person with an exceptional skill or talent in a special field, as a highly developed ability to play music or to solve complex mathematical problems mentally at great speed.

Origin of idiot savant

1
1925–30; <French: literally, learned idiot

Words Nearby idiot savant

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British Dictionary definitions for idiot savant

idiot savant

/ (ˈiːdjəʊ sæˈvɑ̃, ˈɪdɪət ˈsævənt) /


nounplural idiots savants (ˈiːdjəʊ sæˈvɑ̃) or idiot savants
  1. a person with learning difficulties who performs brilliantly at some specialized intellectual task, such as giving the day of the week for any calendar date past or present

Origin of idiot savant

1
C19: from French: knowledgeable idiot

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