conversant

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old French conversant, present participle of converser.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /kənˈvɜːsənt/
  • (US) IPA(key): /kənˈvɝsənt/
  • (obsolete) IPA(key): /ˈkɒnvə(ɹ)sænt/, /ˈkɒnvə(ɹ)sənt/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Adjective

conversant (comparative more conversant, superlative most conversant)

  1. Closely familiar; current; having frequent interaction.
    • 1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. , London: Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, , →OCLC, folio 60, verso:
      VVe (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmoſt ſubiects, the laſt (in a manner) that he bought to his obedience: ſhal we then forgette that vvee are any ſubiects of hys, becauſe (as amongſt his Angels) he is not viſibly conuerſant amongſt vs?
  2. Familiar or acquainted by use or study; well-informed; versed.
    She is equally conversant with Shakespeare and the laws of physics.
    • 1674, [Richard Allestree], “Of Boasting”, in The Government of the Tongue. , Oxford, Oxfordshire: At the Theater, →OCLC, page 168:
      We ſee in all things how deſuetude do's contract and narrow our faculties, ſo that we may apprehend only thoſe things wherein we are converſant.
    • c. 1694, John Dryden, letter to Mr. John Dennis
      deeply conversant in the Platonic philosophy
    • 1720, Thomas Parnell, corrected by Alexander Pope, "Essay on Homer", published with Pope's translation of the Iliad
      He uses the different dialects as one who had been conversant with them all.
  3. (archaic) Concerned; occupied.
    • 1651, Henry Wotton, A Philosophical Survey of Education:
      If any think education, because it is conversant about children, to be but a private and domestick duty, he has been ignorantly bred himself.
    • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Humours and Dispositions of the Laputians Described. ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume II, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 26:
      Their Ideas are perpetually converſant in Lines and Figures. If they would, for example, praiſe the Beauty of a Woman, or any other Animal, they deſcribe it by Rhombs, Circles, Parallelograms, Ellipſes, and other Geometrical Terms, or by Words of Art drawn from Muſick, needleſs here to repeat.

Usage notes

  • Generally used with with, sometimes with in.

Translations

Noun

conversant (plural conversants)

  1. One who converses with another.

References

  1. ^ Jespersen, Otto (1909) A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles (Sammlung germanischer Elementar- und Handbücher; 9)‎, volumes I: Sounds and Spellings, London: George Allen & Unwin, published 1961, § 5.64, page 169.

Anagrams

Catalan

Verb

conversant

  1. gerund of conversar

French

Participle

conversant

  1. present participle of converser

Further reading

Anagrams

Latin

Verb

conversant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of conversō
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