Daily Editorial

Other forms: polymaths

A polymath is a person who knows a lot about a lot of subjects. If your friend is not only a brilliant physics student but has also published a poetry collection and won prizes at political debates, you can describe her as a polymath.

Definitions of polymath

You can think of a polymath as a classic ‘Renaissance man.’ Imagine Leonardo da Vinci, for example, who was not only an amazing artist, but also an engineer, inventor, mathematician, and much more. When a person's knowledge covers many different areas, he or she is a polymath. The Greek word for it is polymathes, ‘having learned much,’ with poly meaning ‘much,’ and manthanein meaning ‘learn.’

Question

Who would most likely be considered a polymath?

A. someone who watches a great deal of television

B. someone who understands the basics of geometry

C. someone who can teach a wide variety of subjects

D. someone who attends parties or social gatherings

Right Answer:- C. someone who can teach a wide variety of subjects