ENGLISH
REFERENCE

omniscient

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ɑmˈnɪʃənt// UK //ɒmnˈɪsiənt// om·ni·scient

adj. knowing or seeing everything. In books, it describes a narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.

adj. having infinite knowledge or awareness; all-knowing. In a literary context, it refers to a narrator with access to the thoughts and feelings of all characters and events.


SIMPLE

The author uses an omniscient narrator to tell the story.

CONTEXTUAL

Unlike a first-person perspective, an omniscient narrator can jump between different characters' minds and reveal secrets they do not know.

COMPLEX

The novel's omniscient narrator provides a detached, comprehensive view of the village, allowing the reader to see the hidden motivations of every resident.

Synonyms
Origin

From Medieval Latin omnisciens (“all-knowing”), from Latin omnis (“all”) + sciens (“knowing”) (further analysable via scient).

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