Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

polymath

/ˈpɑliˌmæθ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.18 in modern English

Syllables
poly-math
IPA
/ˈpɑliˌmæθ/
18
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πολυμαθής (polumathḗs, “having learnt much”), first attested in 1624. From πολύς (polús, “much”) (for more, see poly-) + μανθάνω (manthánō, “to learn”). Compare opsimath, philomath, polyhistor, polymathic, polymathist, and polymathy.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈpɑliˌmæθ/
  • British English: /ˈpɒlɪmæθ/

Inflected Forms

polymaths (plural) polumathe (alternative) polymathe (alternative)

Derived Forms

polymathic

Phrases

jack of all trades

Frequently Paired Words

polymathist polymathy factotum handyman jack of all trades sciolist automath monomath

Synonyms

polyhistor Renaissance man

Questions

How do you pronounce polymath?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɑliˌmæθ/.
What does polymath mean?
A person with extraordinarily broad and comprehensive knowledge.
Where does polymath come from?
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πολυμαθής (polumathḗs, “having learnt much”), first attested in 1624. From πολύς (polús, “much”) (for more, see poly-) + μανθάνω (manthánō, “to learn”). Compare opsimath, philomath, polyhistor, polymathic, polymathist, and polymathy.

How to pronounce polymath

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “polymath”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpɑliˌmæθ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “polymath”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “polymath” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.