maven
Plural: mavens
Noun
- An expert or connoisseur; someone with special knowledge.
- someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
- An expert in a given field; also, a person who is interested in and knowledgeable about a particular activity or thing; an aficionado.
Examples
- As a Words With Friends maven, she easily spotted a seven-letter word.
Origin / Etymology
From Yiddish מבֿין (meyvn, “connoisseur, expert, know-it-all”), from Hebrew מֵבִין (mevín, “one who understands, connoisseur, expert”), from הֵבִין (hevín, “to understand”). The word is said to have been popularized by its use in an advertising campaign for Vita Herring launched in the United States in 1964, which had a character called the “beloved [herring] maven” promoting the product.
Synonyms
ace, adept, champion, genius, hotshot, mavin, sensation, star, superstar, virtuoso, whiz, whizz, wiz, wizard, Jedi Master, artist, buff, cognoscente, connoisseur, crack hand, crackerjack, dab, dab hand, dabster, don hand, expert, master, maven, old hand, old soldier, old stager, past master, proficient, top gun, veteran
Antonyms
campaigner, cognoscente, connoisseur, expert, journeyman, knowbie, master, maven, old hand, old sweat, oldbie, oldtimer, skilled person, specialist, trouper, veteran
Scrabble Score: 10
maven: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordmaven: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
maven: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary