naturalist
Americannoun
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a person who studies or is an expert in natural history, especially a zoologist or botanist.
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an adherent of naturalism in literature or art.
noun
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a person who is expert or interested in botany or zoology, esp in the field
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a person who advocates or practises naturalism, esp in art or literature
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of naturalist
Explanation
That neighborhood kid who is always collecting butterflies and leaves? He just might grow up to be a naturalist, or a scientist who specializes in studying nature. A biologist whose interest lies primarily in the study of plants or animals can be called a naturalist, although these days it's more likely she'll be called a natural historian, a botanist, or a zoologist. The noun naturalist comes from the Latin word natura, "course of things, natural character, the universe," or literally, "birth." Be careful not to confuse naturalist with naturist, which is another word for a person who prefers to be naked — a nudist.
Vocabulary lists containing naturalist
"The Origin of Species by Natural Selection" by Charles Darwin: Essential Words
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The Most Beautiful Roof in the World
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On the Origin of Species
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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.
The naturalist was visiting the University of East Anglia in Norwich as part of the centenary celebrations for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
The French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck had the wrong idea about the way evolution works.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
This is a delicate, confidently imagined fiction made with the eyes of a naturalist, the heart of a believer in family, and a sensibility with room for both the Pythonesque and the Lynchian.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026
"It's a very endangered species around the world," says Miskelly, who served for six years as a trustee for the zoo - famously founded by naturalist Gerald Durrell.
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026
He wasn’t going to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a naturalist.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
