polymath

A polymath is a person whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, with expertise across a broad range of areas. The term derives from the Greek poly, meaning many, and manthanein, meaning to learn. In common usage, a polymath is someone who can connect ideas across disciplines rather than focusing narrowly on a single field.

Historically, polymaths have been associated with the Renaissance, when scholars such as Leonardo da Vinci were celebrated for achievements in art, engineering, anatomy, and natural philosophy. The phrase "Renaissance man" is often used to describe such figures, though the concept is not limited to that era. Other notable polymaths include Ibn al-Haytham, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Benjamin Franklin, among others, who contributed across science, mathematics, invention, philosophy, and public life.

Contemporary usage covers individuals who acquire and apply knowledge across diverse domains, sometimes including the arts, humanities, and sciences. Polymathy is often linked to interdisciplinary thinking, lifelong learning, and the ability to synthesize information from unrelated fields to solve problems.

Scholarly and practical critiques note that breadth can come at the expense of depth, and that genuine polymathy requires sustained mastery rather than a scattered spread of superficial familiarity. Some observers distinguish polymaths from generalists or dilettantes by the level of competency and the ability to contribute original ideas across domains.