futurologist

futurologist — noun

1. a person who studies changes in society, technology, and politics — both from th

1.nounC1
Definition

a person who studies changes in society, technology, and politics — both from the past and happening now — in order to describe what life might be like in the future

Example

Walid works as a futurologist for a tech firm, studying trends in artificial intelligence.

work as a futurologist + for [organisation]

The government asked futurologists to predict how climate change might affect coastal cities by 2050.

Common collocations
  • corporate futurologist
  • consult a futurologist
  • futurologist predicts
  • futurologist at [organisation]
Synonyms
  • futurist

    more common in everyday use; a futurist often gives public talks or writes books, while a futurologist may be more research-oriented

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A futurologist and a futurist both study possible futures, but a futurist is the broader, more common term — often used for speakers, consultants, or authors who talk about what lies ahead. A futurologist sounds more academic and research-focused, analysing past and present data to build predictions. A forecaster works with shorter time frames and specific fields (weather, the economy, elections) rather than long-term social change. For example, a futurologist might write a report on life in 2100, while a forecaster tells you next quarter's sales figures.

futurologist ↗futuristforecaster

Common collocations

Nouns

  • futurologist predicts
  • futurologist studies
  • futurologist warns

Phrases

  • work as a futurologist
  • become a futurologist

Prepositions

  • at [organisation]
  • for [organisation]

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'futurus' (about to be, going to be) + '-logist' (one who studies a subject). The word was formed in the mid-20th century as the field of futurology emerged as a serious area of research.