ultracrepidarian
[ uhl-truh-krep-i-dair-ee-uhn ]
adjective
noting or pertaining to a person who criticizes, judges, or gives advice outside their area of expertise: The play provides a classic, simplistic portrayal of an ultracrepidarian boss.
noun
a person who criticizes, judges, or gives advice outside their area of expertise.
Origin of ultracrepidarian
1First recorded in 1800–20; from Latin ultrā crepidam (also suprā crepidam ) “above the sole, beyond the sole,” from adverb and preposition ultrā (see origin at ultra-) + Latin crepidam (accusative singular of crepida ) “sole of a shoe, shoe, sandal” (re-formed from Greek krēpîd-, stem of krēpís “man's high boot, half boot, shoe”) + -arian; in allusion to Pliny the Elder's adaptation of the retort that the Greek painter Apelles (360?–315? b.c.) made to a cobbler who was critiquing Apelles' work, nē suprā crepidam sūtor jūdicāre “let the cobbler not judge above the sandal”; cf. the English proverb “let the cobbler stick to his last”
Other words from ultracrepidarian
- ul·tra·crep·i·dar·i·an·ism, noun
Words Nearby ultracrepidarian
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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