Meanings
plural polyhistors
- Someone gifted or learned to a great extent or in multiple disciplines; a great scholar.First known use 16th c.
A hired diplomat in Edirne and to the Porte in Constantinople, a military commander in the Austro-Turkish wars, a polyhistor and a learned man.
1988, Milorad Pavić, translated by Christina Pribićević-Zorić, Dictionary of the Khazars, Vintage, published 1989, page 241 more example
[Carlfriedrich] Claus is an artist, though he does not like to call himself one, and a scholar. As such, he personifies the polyhistor, a species rarely found today.
1997, Eckhart Gillen, quoting Henry Schumann, German Art from Beckmann to Richter, →ISBN, page 289Synonyms: polymath, Renaissance man
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSomeone gifted or learned to a great extent or in multiple disciplines; a great scholar.
Origin
- Ancient Greekπολυΐστωρ“greatly learned”
- Latinpolyhistor“very learned”
- Englishpolyhistor
From Latin polyhistor (“very learned”), from Hellenistic Ancient Greek πολυΐστωρ (poluḯstōr, “greatly learned”).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech polyhistor
- polyhistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Danish polyhistor
- polyhistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Dutch polyhistor
- polyhistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
German Polyhistor
- Polyhistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Hungarian polihisztor
- polihisztorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Latin polyhistōr
- polyhistōrsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Polish polihistor
- polihistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Romanian polihistor
- polihistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Spanish polímata
- polímatasomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Swedish polyhistor
- polyhistorsomeone gifted or learned in multiple disciplines
Cite this entry
polyhistor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyhistor
“polyhistor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyhistor. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyhistor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyhistor.
Source: polyhistor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.