connoisseurcon‧nois‧seur /ˌkɒnəˈsɜː $ ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/ noun [countable] 
Word Origin
a wine connoisseurconnoisseur of Fry was a connoisseur of Renaissance art.► see thesaurus at expert
Word OriginWORD ORIGINconnoisseur
ExamplesOrigin:
1700-1800 Early French, from Old French connoistre ‘to know’, from Latin cognoscere; ➔ COGNITIONEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Lord Burlington was a great collector and connoisseur of paintings.
- The golden chanterelle, as it is commonly known, is a favorite among mushroom connoisseurs.
- But motorists, explorers and connoisseurs of beauty will follow the usual route departing along the A.83s.
- He was a connoisseur of beans.
- Many knowing rabbit connoisseurs and hunters prize simple fried rabbit.
- One need only be a connoisseur.
- The wine would have delighted a connoisseur.
THESAURUS► expert
someone who knows a lot about something such as art, food, or music: someone who has a lot of knowledge about something or skill at doing something: · a computer expert· an expert on beetles· 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.· 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 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.· His works are popular among connoisseurs.
► buff informal someone who is very interested in a subject and knows a lot about it: · a wine buff· Jazz buffs will be familiar with the band’s first album.
► virtuoso an expert player or performer: · The piece was played by violin virtuoso Pavel Sporcl.· a virtuoso pianist
Longman Language Activatorsomeone who knows a lot about something► expert someone who know a lot about a subject: · The team of experts includes psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.expert in/on: · an expert in French history· A draft of the document was reviewed by experts on hospital infection control.medical/legal/financial etc expert: · Legal experts are saying that the man's conviction was unlawful.
► specialist someone who has studied a particular subject for a long time and knows much more about it than other people: · You really need a specialist for this job.specialist in: · Professor Williams teaches English Literature and is a specialist in the novels of George Orwell.computer/marketing/engine etc specialist: · The Health Department is seeking the advice of a team of tropical disease specialists.
► authority someone whose knowledge and opinions on a particular subject are greatly respected: authority on: · Reischauer became an authority on Japanese-American relations.· She was widely regarded as the country's leading authority on plant diseases.
► pundit someone who knows a lot about a subject, especially politics or economics, and who is asked to give their opinion about it on television, in newspapers etc: · If the pundits are right, the economic situation may become worse before the end of the year.· Hollywood pundits predicted the movie would grab the top spot in the ratings, but they were wrong.
► buff someone who knows a lot about a particular activity or subject because they are very interested in it: film/jazz/computer etc buff: · "How many films did Hitchcock make?" "Ask Paul, -- he's a great film buff."· The market for magazines for computer buffs is growing all the time.
► connoisseur someone who has great knowledge and experience of something such as art, furniture, food, or wine so that they can recognize what is the best: · The golden chanterelle, as it is commonly known, is a favorite among mushroom connoisseurs.connoisseur of: · Lord Burlington was a great collector and connoisseur of paintings.
► boffin informal British someone who knows a lot about a particular subject, especially a scientific or technical subject: · A few science boffins were asked for their opinions, but otherwise the article gave very little information.
a wine connoisseurconnoisseur of Fry was a connoisseur of Renaissance art.► see thesaurus at expert