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Word-loving Homo sapiens will appreciate how much there is to know about savant. For one, savant comes ultimately from the Latin word sapere (“to be wise”) by way of Middle French, where savant is the present participle of savoir, meaning “to know.” Second, savant shares roots with the English words sapient (“possessing great wisdom”) and sage (“very wise”) (as well as Homo sapiens). Finally, the term is sometimes used to refer to a person who demonstrates extraordinary knowledge in a particular subject or has an extraordinary ability to perform a particular task (such as complex mathematics) but has more limited capacities in other areas.
Examples of savant in a Sentence
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
After just a few short years of relative irrelevance, the Patriots, to the frustration of the rest of the NFL, have quickly ushered in a new chapter of success, segueing from Belichick and Brady to coach Mike Vrabel and QB savant Drake Maye.
—CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
Since the Meyer teams’ national-title runs in 2006 and 2008, only Dan Mullen — Meyer’s former offensive coordinator and play-calling savant — produced an entertaining product until his program lost its way in 2021.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The presence of Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee, another bat-to-ball savant, should provide stylistic variance to the Giants’ lineups.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for savant
Cite this Entry
“Savant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savant. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savant
noun
from French savant, a form of the verb savoir "to know," from Latin sapere "to be wise, taste, have good taste" — related to insipid, sage entry 1
Medical Definition
savant
noun
