Word of the Day: Sciolist

 

1. A person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed.

"While he spoke confidently on the migratory habits of butterflies, I would call him a sciolist because he has no experience or education on the topic." "After I researched her claims, she proved to be a sciolist with no real facts to back her up." "The sciolist will try to win a debate through charisma and bombastic claims, rather than with facts and reason."

Latin, early 17th century

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If someone called you a sciolist in the 17th century, that was a pretty harsh burn — it meant you were getting called out for pretending to know more than you did. The word "sciolist" comes from the Latin "scrire," meaning "to know," but there's always been a sarcastic bent to the term.