a jack of all trades is a master of none quote
Jack of all trades, master of none The "master of none" element appears to have been added later;[citation needed] which made the statement less flattering to the person receiving. Today, the phrase used in its entirety generally describes a person whose knowledge, while covering a number of areas, is superficial in all of them. When abbreviated as simply "jack of all trades", it is an ambiguous statement; the user's intention is then dependent on context. However when "master of none" is added this is unflattering and sometimes added in jest.[6] In North America, the phrase has been in use since 1721,[7] typically in its short form. "Still better than a master of one" is sometimes appended to the phrase[citation needed].