English Explanatory Dictionary

pedant

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A person who makes an excessive or tedious show of their knowledge, especially regarding rules of vocabulary and grammar.
  2. A person who is overly concerned with formal rules and trivial points of learning.
  3. A teacher or schoolmaster.
adj
  1. Pedantic.
verb
  1. To be or act as a pedant.

Pronunciation

pĕdʹənt /ˈpɛdənt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-pedant.wav

Word forms

pedant pedants pædant pedanting pedanted

Etymology

From Middle French pedant, pedante, from Italian pedante (“a teacher, schoolmaster, pedant”), associated with unrelated Italian pedagogo (“teacher, pedagogue”). Compare French pédant.

Synonyms

nitpicker pedant pettifogger priss smart aleck smartass wiseass wise guy

Antonyms

maverick

Related words

buzzkill caviler formalist fusser hairsplitter nazi neatnik perfectionist precisian precisianist precisionist purist rulemonger stickler tightass fastidious complainer Pedant in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Derived words

outpedant pedancy pedantess pedantic pedantical pedantise pedantism pedantize pedantly pedantocracy pedantocrat pedantry
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