Erudite
What it means
Showing extensive knowledge gained through careful study.
Reach for it when praising deep learning that remains relevant and intelligible
The erudite guide explained the ruins without overwhelming visitors.
Words to choose between 7
| playful | |
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| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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| literary |
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playful
Fits when affectionately praising love of study
Careful Bookish can imply social awkwardness and is not equivalent to erudition.
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everyday
Fits when plain praise of reliable subject knowledge fits
Careful Knowledgeable may concern one practical area and lacks erudite breadth.
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warm
Fits when wide reading is the source of knowledge
Careful Well-read excludes learning gained through experiment, oral tradition, or practice.
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professional
Fits when engagement with complex ideas is central
Careful Intellectual can name interests or identity without proving extensive knowledge.
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professional
Fits when rigorous academic method matters
Careful Scholarly describes approach and can be narrow rather than widely erudite.
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formal
Fits when scholarship and accumulated knowledge are central
Careful Learned has an old-fashioned tone, while deep knowledge may still be communicated poorly.
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literary
polymathic
Fits when expertise spans several distinct fields
Careful Polymathic is rarer and makes a stronger breadth claim.
Opposites 4
- ignorant
- unlearned
- ill-informed
- shallow
Common phrases 3
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erudite scholar
The erudite scholar welcomed corrections from local historians.
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erudite discussion
An erudite discussion remained accessible to new students.
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deeply erudite
The catalogue is deeply erudite without becoming obscure.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated