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

Through him, we are allowed a rare glimpse into the street-level experiences of a common Renaissance man.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

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

“He was a true Renaissance man — he was fascinated by science and culture and would turn those passions into knowledge,” Peter McCallum said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2023

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