aficionado
noun
[ əˌfɪsjəˈnɑːdəʊ ]
• a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
• "a crossword aficionado"
Similar:
connoisseur,
expert,
authority,
specialist,
pundit,
one of the cognoscenti,
cognoscente,
devotee,
appreciator,
fan,
fanatic,
savant,
enthusiast,
lover,
addict,
buff,
freak,
nut,
fiend,
maniac,
a great one for,
Origin:
mid 19th century (denoting a devotee of bullfighting): from Spanish, ‘amateur’, past participle of aficioner ‘become fond of’ used as a noun, based on Latin affectio(n-) ‘(favourable) disposition towards’ (see affection).
