Word
aficionado
Phoneticsafi·ciona·do
US/əˌfiʃjəˈnɑˌdoʊ/
UK/ɐfˌɪʃənˈɑːdəʊ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. someone who is very interested in a particular subject and knows a lot about it. You use this to describe a person who is more than just a fan; they are an expert or a serious collector.
n. a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime. Borrowed from Spanish, it implies a high degree of connoisseurship or refined taste.
Examples
“He is a jazz aficionado who owns thousands of records.”
“As a coffee aficionado, she travels across the country to visit small roasteries and sample rare beans.”
“The gallery opening attracted every local art aficionado, each eager to debate the merits of the new installation over glasses of wine.”
Examples
simple
“He is a jazz aficionado who owns thousands of records.”
contextual
“As a coffee aficionado, she travels across the country to visit small roasteries and sample rare beans.”
complex
“The gallery opening attracted every local art aficionado, each eager to debate the merits of the new installation over glasses of wine.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'of' to specify the area of interest.
Real-World Examples
“Cuba's luxuriously smooth tobacco has long topped the cigar industry, with aficionados touting the Caribbean island's unique variety of tobacco, rich soils, and ideal climate - as well as Habanos' insistence on rolling its cigars by hand.” “If you spend time among dedicated car aficionados, you’re likely to encounter frequent remarks about how “unexciting” electric vehicles can be.” “The upstart is still a long way from overtaking bitcoin as the No.1 cryptocurrency, a reversal known to aficionados as "the flippening".” “A longtime AI aficionado, he wasn’t surprised that machine-learning algorithms could identify specific cars.” Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish aficionado, the past participle of aficionar ("to inspire fondness in someone, to get someone interested in something"). A doublet of affectionate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/aficionado