maven

maven

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Pronunciation

Here is the phonetic spelling, word forms, and definition for "maven".

Phonetic Spelling

The IPA phonetic spelling for maven is /ˈmeɪvən/.

It is a two-syllable word: ma-ven.

• First syllable: /meɪ/

• /m/: The 'm' sound, as in moon.

• /eɪ/: The 'ay' long 'a' sound, as in day or pain.

• Second syllable: /vən/

• /v/: The 'v' sound, as in very.

• /ən/: The unstressed 'schwa' sound followed by 'n', as in sudden or kitten.

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Word Form Variations

• Singular: maven

• Plural: mavens

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A person who is an expert, enthusiast, or connoisseur in a particular field, often self-proclaimed or recognized for their accumulated knowledge.

2. Someone who seeks to share their knowledge and experience with others; a trusted specialist or aficionado.

• Synonyms: expert, connoisseur, aficionado, guru, specialist, pundit, adept, authority

• Antonyms: novice, amateur, beginner, dilettante, nonexpert

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Examples of Use

In Books

• Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: In his book on social epidemics, Gladwell popularizes the term, defining Mavens as one of three key personality types (alongside Connectors and Salesmen). He describes them as "information specialists," or "people we rely upon to connect us with new information." They accumulate knowledge and are driven to share it with others.

In Newspapers & Journalism

• The New York Times: When discussing an expert on etiquette, an article might refer to them as a "modern manners maven" (May 2024).

• The Washington Post: A journalist known for deep, inside-track political knowledge and analysis might be called a "political maven" by their colleagues or in a profile.

• The Wall Street Journal: In a business context, an investor famous for their encyclopedic knowledge of market trends could be described as a "Wall Street maven" or an "investment maven."

In Online Publications

• TechCrunch: A writer reviewing a new gadget might state, "We showed the prototype to a known hardware maven, and even she was impressed by its build quality."

• Bon Appétit: A profile of a famous chef or food critic could read, "As a food maven, he has an almost supernatural ability to identify the tasting notes in any dish."

• Vogue (Online): A fashion recap article might refer to a well-known style icon as a "fashion maven" or "style maven," noting their influence on seasonal trends.

In Entertainment & Media

• Martha Stewart: She is frequently referred to in media as a "lifestyle maven," "domestic maven," or "homemaking maven" due to her extensive brand and expertise in cooking, decorating, and hosting.

• TV Commentary: On a political news show, a panelist might say, "Let's ask our resident polling maven, what do these numbers actually tell us about the election?"

• Film Reviews: A critic reviewing a complex science-fiction movie might write, "This film is a treat for sci-fi mavens who will appreciate its deep technical lore, but it may confuse the average moviegoer."

In General Public Discourse

• Social Media: On X (formerly Twitter) or Reddit, you might see a post like, "I'm looking for a new laptop. Calling all the tech mavens in my feed—what should I buy?"

• Workplace Conversation: "If you have a question about the new accounting software, go ask Sarah. She’s become the office maven on it."

• Personal Conversation: "My brother is a total coffee maven. He roasts his own beans and can tell you the origin of any cup you hand him."

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10 Famous Quotes Using Maven

1. "I'm an afternoon tea maven." (Rita Moreno)

2. "A Maven is a person who has information on a lot of different products or prices or places." (Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point)

3. "The Market Maven will." [i.e., help you, whereas an expert might not] (Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point)

4. "Maven, shmaven! Kibitzers and nudniks is more like it." (Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct)

5. "In the timeless wisdom of that great culinary maven Julia Child, 'With enough butter, anything is good.'" (Attributed/paraphrased quote about Julia Child)

6. "He fancies himself a political maven, but he couldn't predict a landslide if he were standing at the bottom of the mountain."

7. "Don't ask me; you're the resident coffee maven—you tell me which one is best."

8. "Every office has its tech maven, the one person you call before you dare to call the IT help desk."

9. "She became the undisputed fashion maven of the group, and no one dared buy a new coat without her approval."

10. "To be a true maven is not just to know a subject, but to feel an uncontrollable urge to share that knowledge with everyone."

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Etymology

In easy-to-understand terms, the word "maven" was borrowed directly from Yiddish.

The Yiddish word is meyvn (מבֿין), which translates to "expert," "connoisseur," or "a person who knows his stuff."

But the Yiddish word itself comes from Hebrew. It's rooted in the Hebrew word mēbhīn (מֵבִין), which means "one who understands" or "a person with insight." This, in turn, comes from the Hebrew verb le-havin, meaning "to understand."

So, at its very core, a maven is simply "someone who understands."

First Use in English

The word "maven" began to appear in American English around 1950. For its first decade or so, it was mostly used within Jewish-American communities or by writers familiar with Yiddish.

Its popularity exploded in the 1960s, largely thanks to a very successful advertising campaign for Vita Herring. The ads featured a character known as the "beloved herring maven," which introduced the term to a massive mainstream audience. The word stuck, and people soon began using it to describe an expert in any field, not just herring.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Maven

Here is a list of common phrases using the word "maven" and idioms with synonyms that convey a similar meaning.

Phrases Using "Maven"

These are typically collocations where "maven" is paired with a specific field of expertise.

• Fashion maven

• Style maven

• Tech maven

• Food (or culinary) maven

• Marketing maven

• Political maven

• The resident maven (on a topic)

• A known maven

• Gossip maven

• Language maven

• Real estate maven

Idioms & Phrases with a Similar Meaning

These phrases describe an expert (a "maven") without necessarily using the word itself.

• A walking encyclopedia

• The go-to person (for a subject)

• He/She wrote the book on (it)

• Knows it inside and out

• A whiz kid

• An old hand (at something)

• Knows all the tricks of the trade

• A master of the craft

• The reigning guru

• A real pro

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of maven from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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