connoisseur Hear it!

connoisseur Definition

con·nois·seur (kän′ə sʉr′, -so̵̅o̅r′)

noun

a person who has expert knowledge and keen discrimination in some field, esp. in the fine arts or in matters of taste

Etymology: Fr (now connaisseur) < OFr conoisseor, a judge, one well versed < conoistre < L cognoscere, to know: see cognition

connoisseur Related Forms

con′·nois·seur′·ship noun

connoisseur Synonyms

connoisseur

n.

judge, expert, authority, aesthete, epicure, gourmet, epicurean, specialist, critic, collector, dilettante, gastronome, gourmand, bon vivant, tastemaker, arbiter of taste, cognoscente (Italian), man of taste, woman of taste, virtuoso, maven*, culture vulture*.

a connoisseur is one who has expert knowledge or a keen discrimination in matters of art and, by extension, in any matters of taste a connoisseur of fine foods; aesthete, although applied to one highly sensitive to art and beauty, is often used derogatorily to connote effeteness or decadence; dilettante originally referred to one who appreciates art as distinguished from one who creates it, but is now chiefly used disparagingly of one who dabbles superficially in the arts

connoisseur Usage Examples

Converse of object

become: I am becoming a connoisseur of these sermons over the years.

Converse of subject

  • appreciate: They were praised by Pliny and over the centuries their strength and flavor have come to be appreciated by connoisseurs all over the world.
  • enjoy: They are an exquisite addition to any fairy enthusiast's collection, or to be enjoyed by fine art connoisseurs alike.

Adjective modifier

  • discerning: An encouraging result for discerning pizza connoisseurs, who may now be asking for an extra topping of fuzzy logic with their next pizza.
  • true: Said with the gusto of a true connoisseur: do you have a favorite, um, species of cheese?
  • serious: They provide nothing for the serious kebab connoisseur who really wants to test his chili resistance levels to the limit.
  • real: The sight of this would drive a real connoisseur wild.
  • great: Qianlong, perhaps the most cultured Chinese emperor of all time, was a great connoisseur of jades.
  • many: This low-key approach will be a turn-off for many extreme cinema connoisseurs.

Noun used with modifier

  • malt: It is encouraging to see yet another industry response to the Scotch single malt connoisseur 's desire.
  • whiskey: The target audience is more the historian than the whiskey connoisseurs.
  • wine: The perfect gift for the would be wine connoisseur in your life.
  • beer: With a great selection of real ales this is a must for beer connoisseurs.
  • comedy: Ian's plays have previously been worth a look for comedy connoisseurs.
  • coffee: I also like to think of myself as a bit of a coffee connoisseur!

Possessives

choice: Just add speakers to create what has to be the connoisseurs ' choice of home cinema system.

Preposition: of

  • wine: The expertly managed cellar complements the menus and provides ample choice for both the casual diner and the true connoisseur of fine wines.
  • art: For the real connoisseur of art a piece of Genesis is treasured in many collections the world over.
  • music: I'm not a connoisseur of music, for me it's more about the lyrics.
  • food: As a connoisseur of food and drink, Aachen comes as a pleasant diversion.