What is the term describing someone who has interest in only a narrow field, and nothing else?

Question

There are some people who have interests in only some narrow field, and are not interested in anything else:

physicians who heal only ears, and for whom the stomach doesn't matter
clerks who know all the fiscal laws by heart, but ignore anything that isn't written there
fanatics who care only what the scriptures say
housewives interested only in cooking and soap operas
geeks who care only for computer games and comics
crazy scientists that know everything about chemistry but don't know who Columbus was and have probably never heard of America

What do I call someone who has such narrow-field interests and/or knowledge?

Hmm. The list seems to imply you want a word with a somewhat pejorative connotation. I have no problem with specialists (physicians) who concentrate on a focused area. We need them. We can't be specialists in everything. In answer, I'd say single-minded. — anongoodnurse, Mar 04 '14 at 16:19
Łukasz 웃 L ツ, you should edit the How in your last line and replace it with a What. — Tristan r, Mar 04 '14 at 16:20
Oh, and Sherlock Holmes. Didn't know about the solar system (and other fundamentals) and didn't care. — anongoodnurse, Mar 04 '14 at 16:21
Single-minded actually has a positive connotation, Susan. A single-minded person is focused, determined, driven by a zeal (for a single goal) unthinkable to most of us. Narrow-minded, close-minded ,limited, etc. These are more appropriate words. — D. M. Davidson, Mar 05 '14 at 06:29
@D. M. Davidson: I do not agree. Narrow-minded comes to mind because the questions indicates the word "narrow" but narrow-minded has negative connotations that is beyond the definition in the question. — ermanen, Mar 05 '14 at 14:53
Perhaps related: http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/ — ntoskrnl, Mar 05 '14 at 21:58
Sounds like you are mixing several concepts together, and no one word will suffice: physicians who heal only ears... is definitely called a "specialist", but that's not the appropriate term for fanatics who care only what the scriptures say or housewives interested only in cooking and soap operas — Vector, Mar 06 '14 at 00:54
@ermanen: You're quite right-in fact all the words I listed as appropriate are not exactly applicable to this situation, where the physician has 'specialized'. — D. M. Davidson, Mar 09 '14 at 00:13

score 30 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:35

30

Consider monomaniac: someone with "an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like"

answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:35

ulatekh

479

score 28 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 15:56

28

Consider specialist

A person who concentrates primarily on a particular subject or activity; a person highly skilled in a specific and restricted field.

answered Mar 04 '14 at 15:56

Andrew Leach

101,901

3

If "specialist" is good at conveying narrow... "sub-specialist" must be even better, right? :) +1 – Jaydles Mar 04 '14 at 19:03
6

Being specialist doesn't include being interested in other domains, specialist can be omniscient as well. I'm asking about someone, who isn't interested in anything from other domains. – Danubian Sailor Mar 04 '14 at 21:54

score 27 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 16:05

27

Consider single-minded

having only one purpose, goal, or interest : focused on one thing

answered Mar 04 '14 at 16:05

ermanen

62,797

Single-minded carries connotations that it is a temporary condition that will terminate when a goal is reached, whereas the asker used examples with permanence of interest. – Aaron Hall Mar 05 '14 at 14:14
2

@Aaron Hall: How can you say that it is temporary? It can be applied to both permanent and temporary situations. – ermanen Mar 05 '14 at 14:49
Can you give such an example of unmodified usage? – Aaron Hall Mar 05 '14 at 15:11

bib · Answer 4 · 2014-03-04T16:00:48.263

15

Consider parochial

restricted to a small area or scope; narrow; limited; provincial: a parochial outlook

A similar recent term is laser focused

Intensely paying attention to a single object, concept, person, or activity to the exclusion of everything else.

edited Mar 04 '14 at 16:00

answered Mar 04 '14 at 15:54

bib

72,782

Don't forget about "razor-focused," the likely ancestor of "laser-focused" – Adrian Mar 06 '14 at 00:53
@Adrian Hmmmm. A laser could be focused, but I would be quite surprised if you could "focus" any line. – Jack Ryan Mar 11 '14 at 12:25

score 11 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:25

11

"One-track mind", is used for people that have a singular interest that prevails over all other topics and outside influences. As defined by the MacMillan Dictionary:

someone who has a one-track mind thinks about one particular thing all the time

answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:25

Kristina Lopez

26,536

score 11 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:31

11

Tunnel Vision describes the inability to see anything outside of your own narrow point of view.

Per the definition it is a tendency to think about only one thing and ignore everything else.

I believe it fits your idea.

answered Mar 04 '14 at 17:31

David M

22,515

score 9 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 14:16

9

German has the word Fachidiot (literally: profession idiot or subject idiot) for this and it has been prominently suggested that English loans this word.

answered Mar 05 '14 at 14:16

Wrzlprmft

4,395

Fachidiot does not appear in the OED or Merriam Webster. I had not met the word in English before. I would avoid it. – Greybeard May 09 '22 at 19:00

score 5 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 00:15

5

"Blinkered":

Having or showing a narrow or limited outlook: 'a blinkered attitude'

limited in scope or understanding : narrow-minded

answered Mar 05 '14 at 00:15

ChrisW

4,249
1
18
26

score 4 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 22:27

4

You seem to be asking for the corollary to "polymath." It's not a dictionary word, but I would consider using "monomath."

answered Mar 04 '14 at 22:27

feetwet

1,420

score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 20:42

Metaphorically, a hedgehog.

Berlin ... divide[s] writers and thinkers into two categories: hedgehogs, who view the world through the lens of a single defining idea ... and foxes who draw on a wide variety of experiences and for whom the world cannot be boiled down to a single idea.

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 22:39

2

How about a "wonk":

wonk noun \ˈwäŋk, ˈwȯŋk\ : a person who knows a lot about the details of a particular field (such as politics) and often talks a lot about that subject

answered Mar 04 '14 at 22:39

Andy

21

score 2 · Answer 12 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 02:33

2

Geek

Although the asker said:

geeks who care only for computer games and comics

the term geek can apply to anyone who is obsessed with any field of interest, and is more useful in a casual situation where it imparts moderate and positive connotations, as opposed to my other favorite already given here, the more severe and clinical monomaniac.

answered Mar 05 '14 at 02:33

Aaron Hall

408

1

This is a great answer! – SAH May 29 '16 at 16:36
This does not address the "but knows nothing in other areas." – Greybeard May 09 '22 at 19:04

score 1 · Answer 13 · answered Mar 04 '14 at 16:40

1

Couple words came to mind:

-Insular

Circumscribed and detached in outlook and experience

-Provincial

a person of local or restricted interests or outlook

answered Mar 04 '14 at 16:40

RyeɃreḁd

16,833

score 1 · Answer 14 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 09:48

1

More words that come to mind:

preoccupation

something that holds the attention or preoccupies the mind

fixation

a preoccupation with one subject, issue, etc.;

answered Mar 05 '14 at 09:48

Danield

1,687

This does not address the question which asks for a noun for a person... – Greybeard May 09 '22 at 19:03

score 1 · Answer 15 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 11:40

1

This person is called a Subject Matter Expert (SME):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subject-matter_expert

This is professional term - unlike some of the other answers. And is generally well understood in the business/professional world.

answered Mar 05 '14 at 11:40

rash.m2k

27

1

SME doesn't have the connotation of "and ... not interested in anything else". – Cheeseminer Mar 06 '14 at 09:39

score 1 · Answer 16 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 21:13

1

The term is "Specialist" when discussing professionals.

The term is "Myopic" when discussing people who see the world through only one narrow lens...

answered Mar 05 '14 at 21:13

bob

39

This does not address the question. – Greybeard May 09 '22 at 19:01

score 1 · Answer 17 · answered May 29 '16 at 16:36

Idiot savant is barely politically correct, carries implications of abnormal neurology, and is probably more extreme than what you're trying to say. Other than that, it matches pretty well:

Quick definitions from WordNet: idiot savant

▸ noun: person who is mentally retarded in general but who displays remarkable aptitude in some limited field (usually involving memory)

Cf. savant.

score -1 · Answer 18 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 03:43

Are you looking for a term with a negative connotation as suggested by a previous comment?

Maybe pedantic is what you're looking for. Someone who is overly concerned with minor details is considered pedantic.

pedantic
adj 1: marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning
       especially its trivial aspects [syn: academic,
       donnish, pedantic]

score -1 · Answer 19 · answered Mar 05 '14 at 11:38

-1

We can call him as

Nerd

Definition:

a single-minded expert in a particular technical field.

Check this google dictionary

answered Mar 05 '14 at 11:38

Akbarsha

137

This does not address the "but knows nothing in other areas." – Greybeard May 09 '22 at 19:02

What is the term describing someone who has interest in only a narrow field, and nothing else?

19 Answers19

Nerd

Linked

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