brainiacs
Mensa meeting attendees
Brainiacs are exceptionally intelligent people, especially those whose intellect is obvious or defining: The brainiacs in the physics department solved it in an hour.
The term can be admiring or gently mocking, suggesting someone more comfortable with ideas than social situations.
From the Superman villain Brainiac, a genius android.
Person of rare brilliance
- whiz-kidRemarkably talented youngster
- prodigyGifted youth with rare talent
- savantPerson of profound learning
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
polymath · phenomenon · wunderkind · gifted · talented · brilliant · precocious · exceptional
Obsessive enthusiast
- nerdBrainy social misfit
- bookwormVoracious reader
- eggheadSlang for intellectual
- dweebSocially inept person
dork · know-it-all · techie · otaku · fanboy · fangirl · gamer · hackathon
Expert in one field
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- virtuosoSupremely accomplished performer
- guruRevered authority figure
- mavenTrusted field authority
wizard · ace · hotshot · master · adept · connoisseur · pundit · analyst
Learned, studious person
- intellectualConcerning thought and reason
- professorSenior university teacher
- academicRelating to education or theory
- researcherOne who studies systematically
theorist · philosopher · thinker · doctoral · PhD · ivory tower · tenure · dissertation
Mentally quick, or fashionable
- intelligentHaving mental acuity
- brightEmitting or reflecting light
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
- quick-wittedFast at thinking
astute · shrewd · perceptive · cerebral · analytical · logical · rational · calculating
genius
Person of rare brilliance
- whiz-kidRemarkably talented youngster
- prodigyGifted youth with rare talent
- savantPerson of profound learning
mastermind · polymath · phenomenon · wunderkind · gifted · talented · brilliant · precocious · exceptional · child genius
geek
Obsessive enthusiast
dweeb · dork · know-it-all · techie · otaku · fanboy · fangirl · gamer · hackathon · trivia buff
specialist
Expert in one field
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- virtuosoSupremely accomplished performer
- guruRevered authority figure
maven · wizard · ace · hotshot · master · adept · connoisseur · pundit · analyst · whiz
scholar
Learned, studious person
- intellectualConcerning thought and reason
- professorSenior university teacher
- academicRelating to education or theory
researcher · theorist · philosopher · thinker · doctoral · PhD · ivory tower · tenure · dissertation · published
smart
Mentally quick, or fashionable
- intelligentHaving mental acuity
- brightEmitting or reflecting light
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
quick-witted · astute · shrewd · perceptive · cerebral · analytical · logical · rational · calculating · strategic
- expertsexperts, expert, specialist, masters, specialists
- student typesjocks, kindergartners, nerds, first graders, geeks
- intelligentsiaintellectuals, professors, intelligentsia, academics, philosophers
brainiacsslackers
Those who avoid effort
underachievers · dropouts · anti-intellectuals · know-nothings · philistines