connoisseur

American  

[kon-uh-sur, -soor] / ˌkɒn əˈsɜr, -ˈsʊər /

noun

1. a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts, or in matters of taste.

   a connoisseur of modern art.

2. a discerning judge of the best in any field.

   a connoisseur of horses.

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connoisseur British  

/ ˌkɒnɪˈsɜː /

noun

1. a person with special knowledge or appreciation of a field, esp in the arts

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Other Word Forms

• connoisseurship noun

Etymology

Origin of connoisseur

First recorded in 1705–15; from French; Old French conoiseor, from Latin cognōscitōr- (stem of cognōscitor ) “knower”; cognoscible, -tor

Example Sentences

But for connoisseurs of Japanese cinema, wherever they may live, his work will always be both unforgettable and essential.

From The Wall Street Journal

Phillips said a 1518 was the sort of watch that once acquired, "a connoisseur can feel to have reached the utmost peak of collecting".

From Barron's

Roth, the real-estate investor, wouldn’t describe herself as a wine connoisseur, though she did buy bottles at many of the stops the campers made.

From The Wall Street Journal

I am a connoisseur; you are a collector; he is a hoarder; she doesn’t collect so much.

From The Wall Street Journal

His screen persona has often been the sleaziest of weasels, the connoisseur’s moral degenerate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aficionado
• buff
• devotee
• dilettante