pedants
|ped-ants|
/ˈpɛdənts/
(pedant)
detail-obsessed
Etymology
'pedant' originates from French, specifically the word 'pédant', which in turn comes from Italian 'pedante'; ultimately it traces back to Greek 'paidagōgos' (παιδαγωγός), where 'pais/paid-' meant 'child' and 'agōgos' meant 'leader' or 'guide'.
'pedant' changed from Italian 'pedante' and French 'pédant' into the modern English word 'pedant' (borrowed into English in the 16th–17th centuries) and developed its current forms such as the plural 'pedants'.
Initially it meant 'teacher' or 'tutor' (a leader or guide of children), but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person who overemphasizes minor details or rules, often showing off learning'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'pedant': people who show off their learning or are excessively concerned with minor details, rules, or formalisms.
Pedants often interrupt conversations to correct small factual errors.
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Noun 2
people who emphasize formal rules or book learning over practical understanding or common sense; often seen as overly academic or showy about small points of knowledge.
Some pedants focus on obscure points of grammar rather than the overall meaning of a sentence.
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Last updated: 2025/10/01 15:47