Polymathy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pəˈlɪməθi/

Definitions

1. The pursuit of knowledge in numerous domains and a synthesis of various fields of study result in a comprehensive intellectual versatility
2. Engaging in learning across multiple disciplines fosters a unique breadth and depth of understanding
3. The quality of possessing extensive knowledge in many different subject areas

Etymology: Ancient Greek gave us the raw material here: "polumathḗs" meant "having learnt much," built from "polú" (much) and "mathein" (to learn). The English word "polymath" was formed from that Greek adjective and, as a noun, came to name a person of wide learning. "Polymathy" is the noun for the quality or pursuit that such a person embodies, formed by adding the suffix "-y," which turns a noun into one naming a quality or state. The surprise is how little of the word's history lies in the English suffix. The same Greek root "mathein" also gave us "mathematics" and "mathematical," which share the sense of learning or knowing as their core. A polymath, then, is etymologically someone who has learned a great deal, and the noun names the state of having done so across many fields rather than in one.

Synonyms: knowledge, erudition, learning, wisdom, savantism

Antonyms: ignorance, illiteracy, stupidity, naivety, inexperience