adjective / noun
erudite
AIR-yuh-dite/ˈerjədaɪt/
Having or showing extensive knowledge gained through study.
The erudite scholar compares several books while studying an astronomical model.
Etymology
The pieces convey bringing someone “out of the rough”: education polishes an unlearned person. That image underlies the description of someone as extensively learned through study.
In context
Did erudite Stubb, mounted upon your capstan, deliver lectures on the anatomy of the Cetacea;
More examples
- He is erudite but explains difficult ideas in everyday language.
- The book offers an erudite account of American architecture.
- Even the most erudite readers find something new in her essays.
Forms
erudite · more erudite · most erudite · erudites
erudition noun — Extensive knowledge acquired through careful study.
eruditely adverb — In a way showing extensive scholarly knowledge.
Similar words
- learned
- Likewise describes deep knowledge gained through sustained study.
- scholarly
- Emphasizes academic methods or interests rather than extensive knowledge.
- knowledgeable
- Can describe practical expertise without implying extensive scholarly study.