sociologist

American  

[soh-see-ahl-uhj-ist, soh-shee-ahl-uhj-ist] / ˌsoʊ siˈɑl ədʒ ɪst, ˌsoʊ ʃiˈɑl ədʒ ɪst /

noun

plural

sociologists

1. an expert in sociology.

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Other Word Forms

• sociologism noun

Explanation

A sociologist studies how people act within societies and other groups. If you're interested in issues like gender roles, crime, or the way families interact, you might want to be a sociologist. Sociology is a social science that examines the way people work in groups, and sociologists are scientists who practice sociology. Any topic that's connected to society falls under a sociologist's expertise, including social class, family structures, religious customs, war and conflict, and much more. The word sociologist comes from sociology and its Latin root socius, "associate."

Example Sentences

"Bigfoot exists - at least as a known object that people shape their lives around," said Dr Jamie Lewis, sociologist at Cardiff University.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

That take seems unduly alarmist said David Goldblatt, a British sportswriter and sociologist who is a visiting professor at Pitzer College in Claremont.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

In a 2024 interview with me, sociologist Arlie Hochschild explained this in the context of what she called “a material economy and a pride economy” that exists for poor and working-class voters.

From Salon • Feb. 21, 2026

The sociologist Michael Kimmel began researching Ideal as part of a family project: Morris Michtom was his great-great-uncle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

The Barnetts belonged to a small elite group referred to by the esteemed black sociologist St. Clair Drake as “the Refined.”

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield