nounWord forms: plural idiot savants or French idiots savants (idjou saˈvɑ̃ː)Psychiatry an old-fashioned term, now considered offensive, for autistic savant
Word origin
[1925–30; ‹ F: lit., learned idiot
]This word is first recorded in the period 1925–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Nazi, buildup, dropout, payload, recycle