[‘ A person who begins to learn or study late in life.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈɒpsᵻmaθ/, U.S. /ˈɑpsəˌmæθ/
Etymology: < ancient Greek /ὀψιμαθής/ late in learning ( < /ὀψι-, combining form of /ὀψέ (adverb) late (cognate with ὀπι- (see opistho- comb. form) and classical Latin /ob/: see ob- prefix) + μάθη learning ( < the base of μανθάνειν to learn: see mathematics n.)), after philomath n., polymath n. Compare earlier opsimathy n.
A person who begins to learn or study late in life.
1883 /Church Times/ 9 Feb. 97 Those who gave the name were not simple enough to think that even an opsimath was not something better than a contented dunce.
1968 T. M. Disch /Camp Concentration/ (1969) i. 58 ‘Opsi?’ I asked Mordecai. ‘Short for opsimath—one who begins to learn late in life. We’re all opsimaths here.’
1992 W. F. Buckley /WindFall/ xvii. 268 They took me thirty years to learn, opsimath that I am in so many matters.
