sap-, sapi- +
(Latin: wise, wisdom, to be wise, to have wisdom; to know, knowledge; to taste [of], to perceive)
2. A quality perceptible to the sense of taste; flavor.
2. Having flavor or taste; yielding a taste.
2. From savant "a learned man", a noun use of the adjective form savant "learned, knowing", from Latin sapere "to be wise".
A savant is a person who is considered to be well versed in literature or science, often with an exceptional skill in a specialized field of learning. When one has an extraordinary single skill within an otherwise unexceptional intellect, he or she may simply be described as a savant, although savant is usually meant to mean a person of learning, especially one of great knowledge in a particular subject, without remarking on her/his overall state of intellect.
The term is also commonly used as an alternative term for autistic savant, which was formerly presented as idiot savant.
A savant can sometimes simply be a person who uses more of his/her brain. Some people become savants after some kind of injury.
An autistic savant (more commonly known as an idiot savant) is a person who expresses extraordinary mental abilities, often in the fields of numerical calculation, art, or music; but usually set within the context of autism or mental retardation.
It is a rare phenomenon that occurs in some autistic people and/or people with certain developmental disorders. There are even those who have acquired savant-like abilities after suffering from head injuries.
2. The ability to act appropriately and adroitly in any situation; from early 19th century French, "know how to do".
2. A combination of worldly wisdom, self-confidence, and refinement in a person; from Mid-18th century French, "know how to live".
2. To enjoy the taste or smell of something.
2. Destitute of smell or taste; insipid.
2. Shrewd and well informed.
3. To know (slang), a corruption of Spanish sabe; as in Sabe Usted?: "Do you know?"; from Latin sapere which corresponds to Latin sapire' "to taste, to discern, to know".
2. Of an agreeably distinctive character.
2. The property of being extremely unacceptable to the mind; loathsome, sickening, nauseous, repulsive.
2. Not pleasant or agreeable in odor or taste.
3. Tasting or smelling in an unappetizing way.
Don't confuse this sap-, sapi- with another sap- [sapo-] that means "soap" or another sap-, sapro- which means, "rotten, putrid".
Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving word units meaning "know, knowledge; learn, learning": cogni-; discip-; gno-; histor-; intellect-; learn, know; math-; sci-; sopho-.
