sciolism

[ sahy-uh-liz-uh m ]

/ ˈsaɪ əˌlɪz əm /

superficial knowledge.

Origin of sciolism

1810–20; < Late Latin sciol(us) one who knows little (diminutive of scius knowing; see conscious, -ole¹) + -ism

sci·o·list, noun sci·o·lis·tic, adjective

He hopped about the office for a minute or two, and then he informed me that I was an 18-karat sciolist.

Coffee and Repartee |John Kendrick Bangs
Broad scholarship gives modesty, but the sciolist everywhere is a braggart.

The American Missionary -- Volume 41, No. 03, March, 1887 |Various
Music refuses to give up its secrets in a formula and at last eludes the sciolist with his ever-ready theorem.

Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 14 |Elbert Hubbard
Our use of the words "aim," "design," and "purpose" will be quite clear to everybody but the sciolist dabbling in metaphysics.

Mazes and Labyrinths |W. H. Matthews

We may leave the Sciolist, and the Merest Tyro, to fight about niceties.

A Likely Story |William De Morgan

sciolism

/ (ˈsaɪəˌlɪzəm) /

rare the practice of opinionating on subjects of which one has only superficial knowledge

sciolist, noun sciolistic, adjective

C19: from Late Latin sciolus someone with a smattering of knowledge, from Latin scīre to know