What does erudite mean?
Word: Erudite
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Erudite means having or showing great knowledge gained from years of reading and study.
Synonyms: scholarly, well-read
How do you spell erudite?
Syllables: er - u - dite
Tricky part: The long i sound at the end tempts pupils towards other spellings of that sound. It is spelt the plain way, as in polite.
Watch out for: erudight, erudyte
Memory tip: Good learning and good manners belong together, so an erudite speaker finishes just as a polite one does.
Erudite in a sentence
Example 1: Dr Menon's erudite notes on Indian textiles fill a whole shelf.
Example 2: My uncle is so erudite that he can quote poets in three languages.
Example 3: Her erudite answer impressed the panel at the national quiz.
Fun Fact
The Latin verb behind it meant to polish away roughness by teaching, because it was built on rudis, a word for rough or untrained.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
One letter in this word is not needed. Find it:
errudite
a) e
b) t
c) d
d) r
Show answer
d) r. A common slip, because error and erratic have two of this letter; this word has one.
Mingle-Mangle
Which word do the jumbled letters in the sentence spell?
The book is the work of an tuieerd historian who spent forty years among old manuscripts.
a) elegant
b) eminent
c) excellent
d) erudite
Show answer
d) erudite. A historian among old manuscripts is the clue, and the u in the scramble proves it, for the other three have none.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word erudite as used in the sentence:
The visitors enjoyed an erudite talk on the seals of the Indus Valley.
a) cultured
b) uninformed
c) knowledgeable
d) thoughtful
Show answer
b) uninformed. Three options praise the speaker's mind; this one says the speaker knows little.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word:
1. eloquant 2. artikulate 3. philosofer 4. erudite
a) good at putting ideas into clear words
b) a person who thinks deeply about life
c) skilled at speaking in a moving way
d) deeply read in many subjects
Show answer
d) deeply read in many subjects. The other three each use a letter that only looks right by sound: eloquent wants an e, articulate a c, philosopher a ph.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What kind of work would you expect from an erudite writer?
a) a quick shopping list
b) a short birthday message
c) a school bus timetable
d) a closely researched essay
Show answer
d) a closely researched essay
2. Who among these would best be called erudite?
a) a boy who has grown very tall
b) a lecturer who reads Sanskrit and Greek
c) a girl who runs faster than anyone
d) a cook who rises early every day
Show answer
b) a lecturer who reads Sanskrit and Greek
