scientist

scientist — noun

1. a person whose job is to study the natural world using experiments and observati

1.nounB1
Definition

a person whose job is to study the natural world using experiments and observation, or to use scientific knowledge to develop new products and solve problems

Example

Aoi works as a scientist for a company that develops new medicines.

scientist + at + company (workplace)

Dr. Meera Patel is a well-known scientist who studies how plants grow in dry conditions.

scientist who + studies (area of research)

Common collocations
  • research scientist
  • climate scientist
  • computer scientist
  • data scientist
  • young scientist
  • lead scientist
  • work as a scientist
  • become a scientist
  • team of scientists
  • scientist at [institution]
Synonyms
  • researcher

    broader term — a researcher may work in social sciences, medicine, or market research, not only natural sciences

  • expert

    broader still — refers to anyone with deep knowledge in a field, which could include a car mechanic or a wine taster

  • scholar

    typically used for academics in the humanities or social sciences rather than laboratory sciences

Grammar Patterns

a scientist who studies/works in [field]

scientist + at [institution/lab]

scientist from [country/university]

Common Mistakes

My brother is a science at a hospital.
My brother is a scientist at a hospital.
'science' is the field of study; 'scientist' is the person.
She is a very good science.
She is a very good scientist.
adding the '-ist' suffix turns 'science' (the subject) into 'scientist' (the person).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'scientist', 'researcher', 'scholar', and 'expert' all describe people with knowledge or skill, their focus differs. A 'scientist' specifically uses the scientific method to study the natural world — in fields such as biology, chemistry, or physics. A 'researcher' investigates questions in any area, including medicine, social science, or even marketing, without a fixed method. A 'scholar' studies an academic subject in depth, often in the humanities (literature, history, philosophy). An 'expert' is someone with deep knowledge in any field, regardless of how it was acquired — a master plumber can be an expert. For example, a biology lab assistant is a scientist; a historian writing a book on ancient Rome is a scholar; a mechanic who can fix any engine is an expert.

researcher ↗scholar ↗expert ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • team of scientists
  • work as a scientist
  • become a scientist

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'scientist' was coined in 1834 by the English historian and philosopher William Whewell, who adapted it from the Latin 'scientia' (knowledge) on the model of 'artist'. Before that, people who studied nature called themselves 'natural philosophers'.