Is there a word for a person who is interested in many things? (Not dilettante)
-
Could you use Renaissance to describe the person? Dilettante, a slur, says dabbling, whereas Renaissance says accomplished.– Yosef BaskinCommented May 25, 2017 at 20:39
-
1What kind of things?– Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_Commented May 25, 2017 at 21:04
-
I voted to close due to lack of research could also have marked as a duplicate of english.stackexchange.com/questions/358065/… or many others– k1eranCommented May 25, 2017 at 22:21
-
You're going to need to be more specific about the word you want. Please refer to the checklist in the tag info.– Andrew Leach ♦Commented May 25, 2017 at 23:12
Add a comment
|
4 Answers
polymath "a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning."
or, from the Wikipedia article, " a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas"
-
Hmmm...expertise does not equate with interest necessarily, does it? Commented May 25, 2017 at 21:09
-
@thomj1332 - Well, it's hard to become expert without interest. Commented May 25, 2017 at 22:23
What comes to mind first is renaissance man:
Renaissance man
(also Renaissance woman)NOUN
A person with many talents or areas of knowledge.
But there's also polymath which is pretty much spot on:
NOUN
A person of wide knowledge or learning.
‘a Renaissance polymath’
answered May 25, 2017 at 20:42
I have heard the the term 'Da Vinci' used to describe someone who has a wide range of interests and is astute in his pursuit of these - "John is somewhat of a Da Vinci, he loves science, art and mechanics."
Worldling according to M-W means:
a person engrossed in the concerns of this present world
answered May 25, 2017 at 21:07
-
"Worldling" has the negative connotation that the person concerns himself with worldly, mundane things. It does not say that the person has a wide range interests.– JonasCommented May 26, 2017 at 9:33