pedant Definition
a person who is too concerned with minor details and rules, especially in relation to academic learning.
Using pedant: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "pedant" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He was a pedant about grammar and would often correct others' speech.
Example
The professor's lectures were so dry and pedantic that many students fell asleep.
Example
She was accused of being a pedant because she insisted on using the correct terminology.
pedant Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with pedant
pedant's corner
a section of a newspaper or magazine where readers can write in to point out errors or inconsistencies
Example
I always check Pedant's Corner in the newspaper to see if anyone has spotted any mistakes.
pedant's disease
a tendency to correct other people's grammar or pronunciation
Example
My mother suffers from pedant's disease and is always correcting my grammar.
pedant's trap
a situation in which a person's excessive attention to detail causes them to overlook something important
Example
He fell into the pedant's trap of focusing so much on the small details that he missed the big picture.
Origins of pedant
from French 'pédant', from Italian 'pedante', meaning 'teacher'
Summary: pedant in Brief
A 'pedant' [ˈpɛdnt] is someone who is overly concerned with minor details and rules, particularly in academic contexts. It is often used as a criticism for those who are too focused on correctness and precision, as in 'She was accused of being a pedant because she insisted on using the correct terminology.' The term extends to phrases like 'pedant's corner,' a section of a publication where readers can point out errors, and 'pedant's trap,' a situation where excessive attention to detail causes one to miss the big picture.
