Connoisseur
early 18th century: from obsolete French, from conoistre ‘know’.
wiktionary
Around 1705–1715, from French connoisseur, from the verb connoître (obsolete pre-1835 spelling of connaître(“to know”)).
etymonline
connoisseur (n.)
1714, "a critical judge of any art, one well-acquainted with any of the fine arts and thus competent to pass judgment on its products," from French connoisseur (Modern French connaiseur), from Old French conoisseor "an expert, a judge, one well-versed," from conoistre "to know," from Latin cognoscere "to get to know, recognize, become well-acquainted with," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + gnoscere "recognize," from PIE root *gno- "to know."
Transferred sense of "a critic in matters of taste (in food, wine, etc.) is from 1796. The attempt in 183. to introduce a corresponding abstract noun connoissance did not succeed. Related: Connoisseurship.
