erudite
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of erudite
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin ērudītus, equivalent to ērud(ē)- ( ē- intensive prefix + rud- “unformed, rough, rude”) + -ītus adjective suffix; see origin at e- 1, rude, -ite 2
Explanation
If you call someone erudite, that means they show great learning. After you've earned your second Ph.D., you will be truly erudite. Erudite is from Latin verb erudire, "to teach," which comes from rudis for "raw, unskilled, ignorant" (the source of our word rude). If you bring someone out of a raw state, you educate them, so someone who is erudite is very educated indeed (and perhaps a bit of a showoff). You can say either ER-oo-dite or ER-yoo-dite; the second one, being a bit harder to say, can seem a bit more erudite.
Vocabulary lists containing erudite
Advanced English Words
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Grade 10, List 2
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Erudite but unpretentious, Dr. Bode was a savvy chronicler of the nation’s political scene.
From Washington Post • Jun. 6, 2022
Mark Gibbens, a Kansas City financial advisor and CEO of Erudite Capital, said the SEC struck a good balance.
From Reuters • Mar. 22, 2022
Erudite and soft-spoken, Burns had refrained from publicly criticizing the Trump administration until the last couple of years.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2021
Erudite and politically conscious in person, he repeatedly distanced himself from the show that bore his name, telling Reuters in 2000: “I would never watch my show. I’m not interested in it.”
From The Guardian • Apr. 6, 2020
But as I walk away, I catch sight of another screen, showing a dark-haired woman pacing back and forth in an office in Erudite headquarters.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
