A philomath ( /ˈfɪlɵmæθ/; Greek: φίλος philos ("beloved," "loving," as in philosophy or philanthropy) + Greek μανθάνειν manthanein, math- ("to learn," as in polymath)) is a lover of learning. Philomathy is similar to, but distinguished from, philosophy in that "soph," the latter suffix, specifies "wisdom" or "knowledge", rather than the process of acquisition thereof.
"Philomath" is not synonymous with "polymath." A philomath is a seeker of knowledge and facts, while a polymath is a possessor of knowledge in multiple fields.
The shift in meaning for "mathema" is likely a result of the rapid categorization during the time of Plato and Aristotle of their "mathemata" in terms of education: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music (the Quadrivium), which the Greeks found to create a "natural grouping" of mathematical (in our modern usage; "doctrina mathematica" for theirs) precepts.