idiot savant

noun idiot sa·vant \ˈē-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ, or same as idiot and savant for respective sing and plural forms\

plural idiots savants \-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ(z)\ or idiot savants \-ˈväⁿ(z)\

Definition of IDIOT SAVANT

: a person affected with a mental disability (as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (as mathematics or music) —called also savant

: a person who is highly knowledgeable about one subject but knows little about anything else

See idiot savant defined for English-language learners

Origin of IDIOT SAVANT

French, literally, learned idiot

First Known Use: 1927

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with IDIOT SAVANT

arrondissement, chateaubriand, Chateaubriand, Clermont-Ferrand, ressentiment, sauvignon blanc

Medical Dictionary

idiot savant

noun idiot sa·vant \ˈē-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ; ˈid-ē-ət-sə-ˈvänt, -ˈvant\

plural idiots savants \-ˌdyō-sä-ˈväⁿ(z); -əts-sə-ˈvänt(s), -ˈvant(s)\ or idiot savants

Medical Definition of IDIOT SAVANT

: a person affected with a mental disability (as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (as mathematics or music)—called also savant