idiot savant

American  

[id-ee-uht sa-vahnt, suh-vant, sav-uhnt, ee-dyoh sa-vahn] / ˈɪd i ət sæˈvɑnt, səˈvænt, ˈsæv ənt, i dyoʊ saˈvɑ̃ /

noun

Psychiatry.

plural

idiot savants,

plural

idiots savants

1. a mentally defective person with an exceptional skill or talent in a special field, as a highly developed ability to play music or to solve complex mathematical problems mentally at great speed.

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idiot savant British  

/ ˈɪdɪət ˈsævənt, ˈiːdjəʊ sæˈvɑ̃ /

noun

1. a person with learning difficulties who performs brilliantly at some specialized intellectual task, such as giving the day of the week for any calendar date past or present

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Etymology

Origin of idiot savant

1925–30; < French: literally, learned idiot