cognoscenti

UK: /ˌkɒgnəˈʃɛnti/

US: /ˌkɑnjəˈʃɛnti, ˌkɑgnə-/

US: (kon′yə shen′tē, kog′nə-)

Inflections of 'cognoscenti' (n): npl: cognoscente

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

co•gno•scen•ti /ˌkɑnyəˈʃɛnti, ˌkɑgnə-/   n., pl. -te /-teɪ, -ti/.  

1. [countable] well--informed persons, esp. those with expert knowledge of a particular field:
   The cognoscenti were aware of the play on words in that song, but most listeners didn't catch it.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

co•gno•scen•ti  (kon′yə shen′tē, kog′nə-), n.pl., sing. -te (-tē). 

1. persons who have superior knowledge and understanding of a particular field, esp. in the fine arts, literature, and world of fashion.

Also, conoscenti. 

• Latin. See cognition, -ent
• Italian, Latinized variant of conoscente (present participle of conoscere to know)
• 1770–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cognoscenti / ˌkɒnjəʊˈʃɛntɪ ˌkɒɡnəʊ-/, conoscenti / ˌkɒnəʊˈʃɛntɪ/ noun:plural ( -te / -tiː/)

1. (sometimes singular) people with informed appreciation of a particular field, esp in the fine arts; connoisseurs

Etymology: 18th Century: from obsolete Italian (modern conoscente), from Latin cognōscere to know, learn about