Meaning

One who exhibits only superficial knowledge; a self-proclaimed expert with little real understanding..

Example Sentences

Near-synonyms: dabbler, dilettante, jack of all trades, know-it-all, fachidiot

Alfred Marshall (1885) The Present Position of Economics: Among the bad results of the narrowness of the work of English economists early in the century perhaps the most unfortunate was the opportunity which it gave to sciolists to quote and misapply economic dogmas.

Men of true ſcience modestly admit the truth on the authority of the divine word; the ſciolist in imitation of the peasant, whoſe obſtinacy is the natural reſult of pride, and ignorance, will not believe if he does not comprehend.

But M. [Édouard] Dujardin is a poet; "vers libres" in the hands of a sciolist are the most intolerably easy and annoying of poetical exercises.

And I think I can divine two classes of agitators from whom we may apprehend danger. I name them together as the sciolists and the socialists. The sciolist is dangerous in politics, as elsewhere, because his knowledge is imperfect and superficial and his conceit is apt to be in proportion to his ignorance.

Sir, I can only say I believe that he is a sciolist. Sciolist is an odd word. I am sure you know what it means, Mr. Speaker, but for those who do not, it means a person who believes he knows in fact more than he does.

Walter is […] a dupe to the half-baked speculations of every sciolist from [René] Descartes down to ‘Coglionissimo Borri’, and a pack of other dunces.

Word Forms

• sciolists

Synonyms for sciolist

Related Words

When Should You Use Sciolist?

Use sciolist when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions