English

Adjective

sciolistical ‎(comparative more sciolistical, superlative most sciolistical)

1. Of or pertaining to sciolism, or a sciolist; showing only superficial knowledge.
   • 1829 February 1, “Remarks on the ‘Evidences against the System of Phrenology. by Thomas Stone, Esq.’”, in John Davies; John Epps; Joseph Houlton, editors, The London Medical and Surgical Journal; Exhibiting a View of the Improvements and Discoveries in the Various Branches of Medical Science, volume II, number 8, London: Published by Thomas and George Underwood, 39, Fleet Street, OCLC 476358095, page 130:

     Persisting still in the same career of imbecility and assertion, Mr. Stone proceeds to enunciate the following sciolistical riddle.

   • 1843 May, Frances Elizabeth Davies, “Tableaux Vivants. [...] Tableaux V. continued.—Authors.”, in The Metropolitan Magazine, volume XXXVII, London: Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street; Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh; Smith and Son, Glasgow; and Cumming, Dublin, OCLC 31675672, page 58:

     [T]hey, who might have been admired and venerated as high priests of their order, are revealed, by their own venality, to be no better than sciolistical professors, whose juggling arts, losing tricks, and gambling speculations, excite no less the derision, than the contempt of the multitude.

   • 1848, Roger Wright Hawkes, A Question of the Nineteenth Century: Are the People to be Educated? Being a Series of Articles Republished from the Columns of a Morning Journal, on the Necessity for a National System of General Instruction; with a Method for its Effectual Accomplishment, London: John Chapman, 142, Strand; Southampton, Messrs. J. & C. Rayner; Dudley, G. Walters [...], OCLC 79774310, page 33:

     [T]he State, instead of gaining a large body of useful intelligent men – beings of capacity and amiability, impressed with a sense of their duties, who might be potent auxiliaries in the development of the resources of civilization – is corroded with a class of sciolistical asses, whose brains are as worthless as their hearts are false; […]

Synonyms

• sciolistic

Related terms

• sciolism
• sciolist
• sciolistically