Spanish Conversation · Level 143
45 words
Spanish word
pedante
Pronunciation
IPA/peˈðante/
Meaning
- noun (m./f.)pedant
Example
No seas un pedante.
Don't be a pedant.
More examples
No soporto a un pedante que corrige todo.
I can't stand a pedant who corrects everything.
Core concept
Person fussing over small facts to seem smarter.
Common phrases
ser un pedante
act like a pedant
hacerse el pedante
pose as a pedant
Similar words
sabelotodo: Claims to know everything and presents opinions as absolute facts.
sabiondo: Drops obscure facts to show off knowledge and impress others.
Definition in Spanish
Persona que muestra aire de erudición y corrige detalles menores para destacar; uso peyorativo.
Word origin
Borrowed into Spanish from Middle Italian pedante and ultimately from Greek paidagōgos 'leader of children' that later meant 'tutor', which led to the modern sense of a nitpicking scholar.
Usage tips
- Pronounced pe-DAN-te with stress on the second syllable, and used bluntly as an insult rather than a mild descriptor.