connoisseur
UK /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː/ · US /ˌkɑnəˈsɝ/ noun
Forms connoisseurs connaisseur
- noun A specialist in a given field whose opinion is highly valued, especially in one of the fine arts or in matters of taste. “beer connoisseur”
Synonyms
Etymology
Around 1705–1715, from French connoisseur, from the verb connoître (obsolete pre-1835 spelling of connaître (“to know”)).
Webster’s 1913
- noun One well versed in any subject; a skillful or knowing person; a critical judge of any art, particulary of one of the fine arts.
Etymology [F. connaisseur, formerly connoisseur, fr. connaître to know, fr. L. cognoscere to become acquainted with; co- + noscere, gnoscere, to learn to know. See Know, amd cf. Cognizor.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “connoisseur”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details