walking encyclopedia
Living knowledge repository
A walking encyclopedia is a person with an exceptionally broad range of knowledge, able to answer questions on almost any topic.
The phrase implies someone you can consult the way you'd consult a reference book: Ask Marcus—he's a walking encyclopedia.
Often used admiringly, though it can suggest book knowledge without practical wisdom.
Multi-domain expert
- savantPerson of profound learning
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- mavenTrusted field authority
- scholarLearned, studious person
sage · guru · virtuoso · specialist · pundit · mastermind · connoisseur · whiz
Continued holding or possession
- eideticPerfectly retaining mental images
- memorizationCommitting information to recall
- triviaUnimportant miscellaneous facts
- factoidQuestionable bite-sized claim
Knowledgeable through literature
- learnedHaving much knowledge
- scholarlyMarked by serious learning
- eruditeProfoundly knowledgeable
- literateAble to read
cultured · bookish · autodidact · philomath · intellectual · academic · studious · cerebral
Condensed reference collection
- repositoryPlace for storing things
- databaseOrganized digital information collection
- archiveStored historical records
- almanacYearly data compilation
lexicon · sourcebook · index · catalogue · directory · handbook · atlas · glossary
One who resolves difficulties
- quick-wittedFast at thinking
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
- shrewdPractically clever, perceptive
savvy · clever · versatile · adaptable · fact-checker
polymath
Multi-domain expert
scholar · sage · guru · virtuoso · specialist · pundit · mastermind · connoisseur · whiz · genius
retention
Continued holding or possession
- eideticPerfectly retaining mental images
- memorizationCommitting information to recall
- triviaUnimportant miscellaneous facts
well-read
Knowledgeable through literature
literate · cultured · bookish · autodidact · philomath · intellectual · academic · studious · cerebral · professorial
compendium
Condensed reference collection
- repositoryPlace for storing things
- databaseOrganized digital information collection
- archiveStored historical records
almanac · lexicon · sourcebook · index · catalogue · directory · handbook · atlas · glossary · register
problem-solver
One who resolves difficulties
- quick-wittedFast at thinking
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
- astuteMentally sharp, discerning
shrewd · savvy · clever · versatile · adaptable · fact-checker
- know-it-allsknow-it-all, pedant, smart aleck, wise guy, wiseacre
- intellectualsscholar, intellectual, academic, thinker, philosopher
walking encyclopediaignoramus
Profoundly uninformed person
know-nothing · dunce · idiot · airhead · dullard
walking encyclopediaspecialist
Expert in one field
one-trick pony · monomaniac · savant · domain expert · hedgehog
walked, walker, walkers, walkway, walkways, encyclopedia, encyclopedias, encyclopedic, cyclopedia