ENGLISH
REFERENCE

darwin

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɑɹwɪn// dar·win Informal

n. a person who is very smart or who uses logic to solve problems. It comes from the name of the famous scientist who studied how animals change over time.

n. an exceptionally intelligent or scientifically minded individual. Often used as a metonym for Charles Darwin or to describe someone exhibiting high intellectual capacity.


SIMPLE

He is a real Darwin when it comes to fixing computers.

CONTEXTUAL

My brother is a total Darwin; he can figure out any complex puzzle in minutes.

COMPLEX

While he lacked formal training, his colleagues often referred to him as a Darwin for his uncanny ability to observe patterns in nature that others missed.

Etymology 1

From Middle English Darwin, Derwin, from Old English Dēorwine (“a given name”), composed of dēore (“dear”) + wine (“friend”). The city in Australia is named after Charles Darwin.

Etymology 2

Variant of Derwent.

Usage

When used as a common noun to describe a person, it is countable and usually informal.

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