omniscient

[om-nish-uhnt]

adjective

1. having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things.

noun

1. an omniscient being.

2. the Omniscient, God.

omniscient

/ ɒmˈnɪsɪənt /

adjective

1. having infinite knowledge or understanding

2. having very great or seemingly unlimited knowledge

Other Word Forms

• omnisciently adverb
• unomniscient adjective
• unomnisciently adverb
• omniscience noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of omniscient¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from New Latin omniscient-, stem of omnisciēns “all-knowing,” from Latin omni- omni- + sciēns “knowing” ( science )

Word History and Origins

Origin of omniscient¹

C17: from Medieval Latin omnisciens, from Latin _omni- + scīre to know

Example Sentences

The town they grow roots in is ironically named; from the omniscient narrator’s vantage point, New England’s beauty is in stark contrast to the community’s poverty and desperation.

From Los Angeles Times

I loved all the examples of Hitchcock’s omniscient point of view.

From Salon

So does narration that alternates between the main characters and an omniscient author, using first, second or third person singular, depending.

From Los Angeles Times

Adding to the busyness, Puts heavily features the chorus as a collective, omniscient narrator and the characters’ inner voices.

From New York Times

If you get sucked into a cult, there is this psychology of worshipping the Dear Leader, he or she is omniscient, the Messiah.

From Salon

Related Words

• all-knowing www.thesaurus.com
• all-seeing www.thesaurus.com