biologist
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of biologist
Explanation
A biologist is a scientist who focuses on living organisms, including plants and animals. Wildlife biologists might specialize in studying African elephants. Biologists study a wide variety of life forms, from single-celled organisms to primates, and conduct research in many different areas, from the spreading of pathogens to the details of evolution. A marine biologist studies sea creatures and a microbiologist might study algae or bacteria. The word biologist is rooted in the Greek bios, or "life."
Vocabulary lists containing biologist
"Siberian Survivors" and "Tigers in the Wild"
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: bio
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Unit 18, Lesson 3
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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.
According to biologist Raul Gonzalez Ittig of the scientific research agency Conicet, cases in Argentina may be linked to the El Nino phenomenon.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
The show featured a long-term research site in the Kalahari Desert run by Tim Clutton-Brock, an evolutionary biologist retired from the University of Cambridge.
From Slate • May 10, 2026
Asked whether a customer could tell the difference, Mariani said: "It is very difficult for a member of the public that is not a trained fish biologist to identify one fillet from another."
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Mr. Gibbs also draws inspiration from scientists, especially C. Brandon Ogbunu, the Yale University evolutionary biologist who declared that “evolution is solving whatever problem is in front of it.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
My mom was a biologist and the resident shark expert for Massachusetts.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
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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.