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sciolism

[sahy-uh-liz-uh m]
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noun
  1. superficial knowledge.
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Origin of sciolism

1810–20; < Late Latin sciol(us) one who knows little (diminutive of scius knowing; see conscious, -ole1) + -ism
Related formssci·o·list, nounsci·o·lis·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sciolism

Historical Examples

  • This is scholarship; the secondary information that has been popular is sciolism.

    Education: How Old The New

    James J. Walsh

  • Such an age of sciolism and scholasticism may possibly once more get the better of the literary world.

  • Few things are as distressing as the sciolism of a second-rate English editor of a classic.

British Dictionary definitions for sciolism

sciolism

noun
  1. rare the practice of opinionating on subjects of which one has only superficial knowledge
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Derived Formssciolist, nounsciolistic, adjective

Word Origin

C19: from Late Latin sciolus someone with a smattering of knowledge, from Latin scīre to know
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sciolism

n.

"a show of knowledge," 1798; see sciolist + -ism.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper