noun
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a shop selling medicines, cosmetics, etc
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a qualified dispenser of prescribed medicines
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a person studying, trained in, or engaged in chemistry
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an obsolete word for alchemist
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of chemist
First recorded in 1555–65; from Greek chēm(ía) (also chēmeía, chymeía ) “art of alloying metals; alchemy” + -ist; replacing chymist, from Medieval Latin alchimista; see alchemist ( def. )
Explanation
A scientist who studies the elements that make up all matter is a chemist. If you enjoy doing experiments that involve mixing substances in test tubes, you'd probably love being a chemist. Chemists practice the science of chemistry, which examines the properties that make up everything in the universe. These working scientists examine the tiniest particles of substances, the atoms and molecules that form the earth, the oceans, and even you, yourself. Chemists also study how elements interact with each other and form new substances; we have chemists to thank for inventing penicillin, plastic, and artificial sweeteners, among many other things.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Pharmacist Paul Irvine said he understood that women "are concerned" but urged them to speak to their GP or local chemist who could advise them about alternatives.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who worked on drug discovery and breast cancer research, founded 3.14 Action in 2016 after two unsuccessful tries for a congressional seat in the Philadelphia suburbs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
Pendlebury also told AFP he felt that research on solar cells was "overdue" for a prize, with German-born Swiss chemist Michael Gratzel named as a top contender.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Mr. Werth calls Tishler “the most prolific drug developer and research chemist in the history of medicine.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
She took Dr. Troy’s prescription and told me run over to O’Connor the chemist for the pills, that there would be no charge due to the kindness of Dr. Troy.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
British chemists Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman, for their contribution to next-generation DNA sequencing, could be honoured, according to the science journalist.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
The listed roles include electrical engineers, explosive experts, chemists and software specialists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
To test the idea under controlled conditions, Seiler enlisted retired Berkeley chemists David Kreimer and Elena Kreimer, a retired manager of the College of Chemistry's Microanalytical Facility.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Understanding how electrons are distributed through those structures can help chemists explain why molecules have particular properties and why they undergo certain chemical reactions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
At Caltech, two physical chemists, Linus Pauling and Robert Corey, had used this technique to solve the structures of several protein fragments—a feat that would win Pauling the Nobel Prize in 1954.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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