surdoué

gifted child, prodigy

noun adjective soor-DWEH Rare

Origin: From sur- (above) + doué (gifted)

Usage Note

Surdoué refers to a child or person with an exceptionally high IQ, often identified through psychometric testing (enfant surdoué). France uses the term haut potentiel intellectuel (HPI) officially, but surdoué remains common in everyday speech and the media. The feminine form is surdouée.

Examples

"Cet enfant surdoué a intégré le lycée à douze ans."

Natural Translation

This gifted child entered secondary school at twelve.

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