con ‧ nois ‧ seur /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː $ ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: Early French , from Old French connoistre 'to know' , from Latin cognoscere ; ⇨ ↑ cognition ]
someone who knows a lot about something such as art, food, or music:
a wine connoisseur
connoisseur of
Fry was a connoisseur of Renaissance art.
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THESAURUS
▪ expert someone who has a lot of knowledge about something or skill at doing something:
a computer expert
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an expert on beetles
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It’s best to ask an expert.
▪ specialist an expert who has studied a particular medical or technical subject for a long time and knows much more about it than other people:
She is a specialist in corporate finance.
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My doctor sent me to see a heart specialist.
▪ authority an expert whose knowledge and opinions are greatly respected:
The professor is one of the world’s leading authorities on African art.
▪ connoisseur /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː $ ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ an expert on food, art, literature, or design, who has had a lot of experience and knows when something is of very good quality:
He was a connoisseur of fine wines.
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His works are popular among connoisseurs.
▪ buff /bʌf/ informal someone who is very interested in a subject and knows a lot about it:
a wine buff
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Jazz buffs will be familiar with the band’s first album.
▪ virtuoso /ˌvɜːtʃuˈəʊsəʊ $ ˌvɜːrtʃuˈoʊsoʊ/ an expert player or performer:
The piece was played by violin virtuoso Pavel Sporcl.
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a virtuoso pianist