[‘ Knowing little; ignorant.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /pɑːˈvɪsɪənt/, U.S. /pɑrˈvɪʃ(ə)nt/
Etymology: < parvi- comb. form + scient adj., probably after omniscient adj.
Now rare.
Knowing little; ignorant.
1862 F. Hall tr. N. N. Gore /Rational Refut. Hindu Philos. Syst./ iii. iii. 210 The ignorance of a single soul..keeps it parviscient, parvipotent.
1884 T. J. Scott in J. M. Reid /Doomed Relig./ 160 Brahma alone..is neither parviscient nor omniscient.
1890 /Overland Monthly/ Oct. 435/1 Ego, the personality—temporal and parviscient.
1980 /Noûs/ *14* 167 There is no denying that we are sorely parviscient on these matters.