cognoscenti

[kon-yuh-shen-tee, kog-nuh-]

plural noun

singular

cognoscente 

1. persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field, especially in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion.

cognoscenti

/ ˌkɒɡnəʊ-, ˌkɒnjəʊˈʃɛntɪ /

plural noun

1. (sometimes singular) people with informed appreciation of a particular field, esp in the fine arts; connoisseurs

Word History and Origins

Origin of cognoscenti¹

1770–80; < Italian, Latinized variant of conoscente (present participle of conoscere to know) < L. See cognition, -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of cognoscenti¹

C18: from obsolete Italian (modern conoscente ), from Latin cognōscere to know, learn about

Example Sentences

These places were never meant to be for the sophisticated “cognoscenti” or fragrance enthusiasts, but the most popular scents and profiles of today bring an air of nostalgia for those youthful, care-free times.

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Could Walz’s ownership of a Scout convince some Republican car cognoscenti to vote for Kamala Harris?

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Maybe you even noticed when the trendsetting L.A. apparel brand Online Ceramics released a bootleg Berkey hoodie in December, confirming the filter’s status as a kind of secret handshake for the town’s Palo Santo-burning, quartz-collecting cognoscenti.

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Too many times, justice delayed is justice denied, but judges in our contemporary system simply aren’t set up to do it any other way, and Trump and other courthouse cognoscenti know how to exploit it.

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For instance, many of the political cognoscenti decided that the election in November signaled a victory of moderates over radicals.

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Related Words

• buff 
• expert 
• intellectual 
• philosopher 
• professor 
• scholar 
• thinker