arborist

American

[ahr-ber-ist] / ˈɑr bər ɪst /

noun

a specialist in the cultivation and care of trees and shrubs, including tree surgery, the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tree diseases, and the control of pests.

arborist British

/ ˈɑːbərɪst /

noun

a specialist in the cultivation of trees

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

arborists

plural

Etymology

Origin of arborist

First recorded in 1570–80; arbor ³ + -ist

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.

According to the arborist, he threatened to cut the roots — something the arborist warned could kill the tree.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Adam was unable to reach Brian before the arborist required a decision, and so he chose to remove the otherwise healthy tree.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

But once you’ve sorted these details, you and your arborist can make your trees safer, healthier, more lovable, and less likely to cleave.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

The Argyle Street Ash was then put forward by David Treanor - an arborist from Glasgow who has been managing the tree in recent years.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

The arborist fires up the mulcher at the back of their truck.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023