Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
Acronym of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission, a space probe designed to investigate the Martian climate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
Topics: NASA, aerospace, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, space-science
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An expert in a given field; also, a person who is interested in and knowledgeable about a particular activity or thing; an aficionado.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: cognoscente, connoisseur, adept, ace, artist, buff, crackerjack, crack hand, dab, dab hand, dabster, don hand, expert, Jedi Master, master, maven, old hand, old soldier, old stager, past master, proficient, top gun, whiz, wiz, wizard, veteran
Antonyms: abecedarian, alphabetarian, apprentice, amateur, beginner, bun, colt, first-timer, fledgling, FNG, fresh meat, freshman, greenhorn, greenie, greener, homo novus, inceptor, initiate, Johnny-come-lately, learner, neophyte, newbie, newb, newbro, new chum, newcomer, newfag, newfriend, newling, noob, n00b, novice, novitiate, nozzer, nub, nubcake, puny, pup, probationer, probationist, probie, recruit, stranger, rookie, tenderfoot, trainee, tyro, tyrone, younker
noun
someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: ace, adept, champion, sensation, mavin, virtuoso, genius, hotshot, star, superstar, whiz, whizz, wizard, wiz
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: expert
Narrower terms: track star
History
From Yiddish מבֿין (meyvn, “connoisseur, expert, know-it-all”), from Hebrew מֵבִין (mevín, “one who understands, connoisseur, expert”), from הֵבִין (hevín, “to understand”). The word is said to have been popularized by its use in an advertising campaign for Vita Herring launched in the United States in 1964, which had a character called the “beloved [herring] maven” promoting the product.
Across languages
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
