If you’re looking for a word to describe a person who simply loves knowledge and learning, this article is here to help!
Below, we’ve found 12 words for someone obsessed with knowledge, even to the point of excess. So, read on!
Words for Someone Who Likes to Learn New Things
- Philomath
- Epistemophiliac
- Curious
- Studious
- Autodidact
- Philonoist
- Inquiring mind
- Polymath
- Philosopher
- Culture geek
- Inquisitive
- Geek
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A “philomath” is a person who loves to learn about a range of subjects, including, but not limited to, mathematics.
- If someone is obsessed with acquiring knowledge, you could call them an epistemophiliac.
- A “curious” person wants to quench their thirst for knowledge by exploring things themselves.
Before you go! In the next section, we’ll unpack our top three adjectives for a person who likes to learn new things.
Additionally, we’ll use each of them in some helpful example sentences.
Philomath
According to Merriam-Webster, a “philomath” is “a lover of learning.”
Therefore, you can use this word to describe a person who likes to learn about any subject. Moreover, it describes someone who simply likes to acquire general knowledge and broaden their understanding of the world.
At first glance, you might assume that this word translates to “a lover of mathematics.” After all, the Greek word “philo” is used in English to mean “the love of.”
However, the word “mathematics” actually comes from the Greek word “manthanein,” which means “to learn.” Thus, you can see where the meaning of “philomath” comes from, and you can use it broadly to mean a lover of learning and studying.
Therefore, if you think “philomath” describes you, you could include it on your resume! Especially if you are looking for work in the literary field or some other realm where knowledge and a love of learning are sought after.
Let’s have a look at a couple of examples making use of this term:
Moira is a typical philomath, so she’ll drag you to every museum she finds if you go on vacation with her.
I would describe myself as a philomath in the field of science.
Epistemophiliac
A person who is eager to learn is called an “epistemophiliac.”
Merriam-Webster defines “epistemophilia” as meaning “excessive striving for or preoccupation with knowledge.” Therefore, you can use this word to talk about someone who loves to lean in a very extreme way.
After all, the word “excessive” means “exceeding what is usual, proper, necessary, or normal.” Thus, this word wouldn’t suit someone who seeks knowledge to a normal degree. Rather, it refers to someone with an obsession for learning new things to the point of excess.
In other words, “epistemophiliac” has very specific connotations. In particular, it is a good example of what to call someone who learns things quickly because they have the compulsion to do so.
Consider the examples below to see what we mean:
Fredward has an epistemophiliac obsession with the history of porcelain dolls and, frankly, it’s getting out of hand.
Your aunt is a bit of an epistemophiliac, so you’ll probably spend much of your visit in libraries and observing specimens using her microscope.
Curious
A more simple and recognizable word for a person who loves to explore new things is “curious.”
Merriam-Webster defines “curious” as “marked by desire to investigate and learn.” As you can see, the word “curious” goes beyond wanting to study things. It includes the word “investigate,” which means that curious people like to explore things in a practical way.
In other words, it doesn’t suffice to read about a certain place – they want to see it for themselves! This explains the popular idiom, “curiosity killed the cat.” If you’re curious, you might find yourself in precarious places throughout your pursuit of knowledge.
Have a look at the examples below:
I visited the gravesite because I was too curious to let it go.
It’s good to be curious, but you need to be sensible as well, or you’ll get yourself hurt.