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Like a pantomath but without being an expert in each subject.

A pantomath (pantomathēs, παντομαθής, meaning "having learnt all", from the Greekroots παντ- 'all, every' and the root μαθ-, meaning "learning, understanding") is a person whose astonishingly wide interests and knowledge span the entire range of the arts and sciences.

Update

I don't think this question is a duplicate of Is there a word for describing people who know many things but superficially? as "not specialised" isn't a synonym of "superficially". Also the referred question has many answers not related to this one in terms of content and quality (as this one already has), and has been marked as a duplicate of What is the word for a person who does different jobs?) so it won't make sense to mark this as a duplicate.

marcanuy
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  • "Know-It-All"? – RBarryYoung Jul 04 '17 at 18:48
  • a "Renaissance Man" or a "polymath," perhaps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath – Nick Weinberg Jul 04 '17 at 22:20
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    Not an answer, but relevant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hedgehog_and_the_Fox – Ethan Bolker Jul 04 '17 at 23:47
  • @EthanBolker Very interesting, thanks for sharing. – marcanuy Jul 05 '17 at 00:05
  • Seeing as the highest upvoted answer in all three questions is the same, i.e. a jack of all trades (master of none), and the second answer "generalist" is also given in the two older questions, it's difficult to argue that your question is significantly different. – Mari-Lou A Jul 05 '17 at 17:31
  • @Mari-LouA If this is a duplicate it should be kept open and mark the other one as a duplicate according to How should duplicate questions be handled?: "keep the question with the best collection of answers, and close the other one as a duplicate.". On the other hand, if we analyze the collection of answers we can infer that both questions are not duplicates. – marcanuy Jul 05 '17 at 17:44
  • This question should have been closed yesterday, that way you could have edited your post and have been more specific. It's too late now. The question which remains open has attracted 56,000 views and 15 answers. Your question has received 4 answers, two of which are identical, and about 1,000 views. You were lucky that it remained open for so long. Which question has attracted the most varied answers and the highest number of views? – Mari-Lou A Jul 05 '17 at 17:48
  • @Mari-LouA 56000 views and 15 answers in 3 years and 2 monts, against 998 views in 1 day. In this period: most voted answer 16 to 35, voted question 5 to 6. faved question 0 to 2. Putting that aside, the question itself has nothing to do with "What is the word for a person who does different jobs?". – marcanuy Jul 05 '17 at 18:02
  • So, you won't be accepting Lawrence's answer, nor SteveES' I take it. – Mari-Lou A Jul 05 '17 at 18:04

4 Answers4

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They're a jack of all trades. Some might add and master of none.

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is a figure of speech used in reference to a person who has dabbled in many skills, rather than gaining expertise by focusing on one.

Such a Jack of all trades may be a master of integration, as such an individual knows enough from many learned trades and skills to be able to bring the individual's disciplines together in a practical manner. This person is a generalist rather than a specialist.

- wikipedia

Community
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Lawrence
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    The wikipedia article also discusses the origin. Not sure where I got it, but I'd always thought the jack part of the term derived from playing card values (where it's good but not excellent in the typical ordering), even to the point of a similar "jack of all trades, ace of none". But maybe this was just something I just mistakenly went with, it seems. Looks like jack was just it's own term for a common man (as opposed to someone of royalty or honor). – JeopardyTempest Jul 04 '17 at 18:47
12

If you are looking for a term that describes a person as not being a specialist, but doesn't necessarily place any limits on their level of skill, then you can call them a generalist.

Generalist
Noun

One whose skills, interests, or habits are varied or unspecialized

Merriam-Webster

Community
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SteveES
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4

Emily Wapnick calls it a Multipotentialite in her TED talk.

Also known as a polymath, Renaissance person, Jack of all trades, person of many talents, etc.

Excerpt from her talk:

A multipotentialite is someone with many interests and creative pursuits. It's a mouthful to say. It might help if you break it up into three parts: multi, potential, and ite. You can also use one of the other terms that connote the same idea, such as polymath, the Renaissance person. Actually, during the Renaissance period, it was considered the ideal to be well-versed in multiple disciplines. Barbara Sher refers to us as "scanners." Use whichever term you like, or invent your own. I have to say I find it sort of fitting that as a community, we cannot agree on a single identity.

https://www.ted.com/talks/emilie_wapnick_why_some_of_us_don_t_have_one_true_calling/transcript

Jeremy
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jack of all trades, master of none.

MOHD HAMZA
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    Compare this answer with the one above, and note the detail given to explain how this is the correct answer. – marcellothearcane Jul 04 '17 at 13:46
  • Jack of all trades means someone is is skilled in many things, as opposed to an expert, who is highly skilled at one thing.
    master of none is an incompetent person incapable of accomplishing anything.
    Thus, Jack of All, Master of None is a passive-aggressive insult. Clearly not what the OP had in mind. $0.02     – Scottie H Mar 05 '21 at 20:03