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

Example Sentences

Kraft also said he gave Belichick "this opportunity" and called him an "idiot savant" to another confidant.

From Fox News • Sep. 29, 2021

He is idiot savant autistic — musically, so he always has music in his head, sometimes accompanied by racing thoughts.

From Washington Post • Jan. 10, 2020

It hurt to see the rules of grammar and usage, which I have lived my writing life by, mastered by an idiot savant that used math for words.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 7, 2019

Here, Sam is only a degree or two removed from the familiar caricature of the idiot savant — inept, bumbling and awkward when the plot demands it, yet capable of being refreshingly intelligent, honest and funny.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2017

A matchbox falls and the idiot savant can state, without looking at the box, the exact number of matches that fell out.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai