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Synonyms

geologist

American  
[jee-ol-uh-jist] / dʒiˈɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

  • geologists
    plural
  1. a person who specializes in geologic research and study.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of geologist

First recorded in 1785–95; geolog(y) + -ist


Explanation

If you’re fascinated by rocks and spend hours digging for interesting samples in the backyard, you might be a budding geologist, a scientist who studies all things related to the Earth. A geologist is an expert in the field of geology, the study of what the Earth is made of and how it was formed. The woman on TV explaining the history of an active volcano that’s ready to erupt? She’s probably a geologist who specializes in volcanoes. Geologists can specialize in many different aspects of the field, ranging from earthquakes to soil erosion. What they all have in common is that they’re trying to figure out how the Earth works.

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Vocabulary lists containing geologist

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:

We found out that the daughters of the geologist Leonard Horner invited Darwin to come over for a visit—in Maōri, which they thought would impress the world traveler.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

A county geologist asserted that the application should be denied because mining had been dormant at the site long before the state’s landmark surface mining law took effect in 1976.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

The possibility eventually drew the attention of Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Western University who also directs the Impact Earth database.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Toss Master Kyle Mathews, co-organiser of the event, said an official tournament geologist had been appointed this year, leaving no stone unturned in keeping the 400 challengers in order.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

So on November 8, 1973, Vishniac, his new microbiology equipment and a geologist companion were transported by helicopter from McMurdo Station to an area near Mount Balder, a dry valley in the Asgard range.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

The advance could help geologists, paleontologists and archaeologists assign more reliable dates to events in Earth's past.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

The find has been described as a totally unique, with geologists and marine specialists trying to establish the fossil's story and the Natural History Museum in London helping to identify it.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Part of the problem, Nadrowski said, is that mining companies are run by geologists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

But he had ordered the structure built on an unstable foundation, without consulting independent geologists or engineers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

For most geologists the idea of a devastating impact was, as Eugene Shoemaker noted, "against their scientific religion."

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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