smatterer

SMATTERER

rudis et tiro: tiro: semidoctus: mediocriter doctus: leviter eruditus: qui primoribus ut aiunt labris litteras attigit (Cic.). ☞ Avoid sciolus which occurs first in Arnobius.

smatterer:

I. In learning, generally:

1. lītĕrātor (opp. literatus, a man of real learning): Suet. Gramm. 4, med. (v. infr., II.): alter literator fuit, alter literas sciens, Gell. 18, 9, ad init.

2. sēmĭdoctus: Cic.: Mart.: cf. Quint. 1, 1 (nihil enim pejus est iis qui paulum aliquid ultra primas literas progressi, falsam sibi scientiae persuasionem induerunt).

3. mĕdiocrĭter doctus, Suet. (v. infr., II.).

4. sciŏlus (very late, and not to be imitated): Arn. 2, 86.

II. In grammar: grammătista: cf. Suet. Gramm. 4, post med. (sunt qui literatum a literatore distinguant, ut Graeci grammaticum a grammatista, et illum quidem absolute, hunc mediocriter doctum existiment).

III. In poetry: poēta mĕdiocris: v. POETASTER, VERSIFIER.

IV. In medicine perh. empīrĭcus (a physician whose art is founded solely on practice): v. QUACK. Phr.: a s. in some art or other, *primis alicujus artis rudimentis vix imbutus (Ainsw.): v. DABBLER.