Renaissance man

American  

noun

1. a cultured man of the Renaissance who was knowledgeable, educated, or proficient in a wide range of fields.

2. (sometimes lowercase) a present-day man who has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field.

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Renaissance man British  

noun

1. a man of any period who has a broad range of intellectual interests

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Renaissance man Cultural  

1. An outstandingly versatile, well-rounded person. The expression alludes to such Renaissance figures as Leonardo da Vinci, who performed brilliantly in many different fields.

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Etymology

Origin of Renaissance man

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

The Renaissance man, the father of the modern age, can claim all of us as successors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

I recently spoke with Weller about the legacy and politics of “RoboCop,” his long career, turn as a Renaissance man, the importance of jazz and his friendship with Miles Davis.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2025

Now, the composer Joseph Boulogne would be hailed as a Renaissance man: artist, athlete, intellectual, soldier.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2024

Smart, worldly and insatiably curious, Mr. Ramaswamy is about as close as you get to a Renaissance man in our times.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2023

A Renaissance man of the plains, he is a farmer, welder, businessman, machinist, ace mechanic, commodities speculator, licensed airplane pilot, computer programmer, electronics troubleshooter, video-game repairman.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer