'erudite' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'eruditus,' where 'e-' meant 'out of' and 'rudis' meant 'unskilled or rough.'

'eruditus' transformed into the French word 'érudit,' and eventually became the modern English word 'erudite' through Middle English.

Initially, it meant 'instructed or learned,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.