noun
connoisseur
kah-nuh-SUR/ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/
A person skilled at judging quality in matters of taste.
The connoisseur studies the ceramic glaze through a magnifying glass.
Etymology
The pieces describe someone who knows: familiarity with the fine arts made a person qualified to judge them. That expertise later extended to matters of taste such as food and wine.
In context
turn wine buffoon James May into a new world wine connoisseur by sampling the nicest that is the best glass of wine I've ever had and nastiest that is unspeakably disgusting
More examples
- Wine connoisseurs praise this vineyard for its balanced reds.
- She is a connoisseur of Japanese ceramics.
- You don't need to be a connoisseur to appreciate good chocolate.
Forms
connoisseur · connoisseurs
connoisseurship noun — Expert judgment in matters of taste.
Similar words
- expert
- Has specialized knowledge in any field, not necessarily taste.
- aficionado
- Emphasizes enthusiasm and devotion rather than skill at judging quality.