noun
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a shop selling medicines, cosmetics, etc
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a qualified dispenser of prescribed medicines
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a person studying, trained in, or engaged in chemistry
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an obsolete word for alchemist
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of chemist
First recorded in 1555–65; from Greek chēm(ía) (also chēmeía, chymeía ) “art of alloying metals; alchemy” + -ist; replacing chymist, from Medieval Latin alchimista; see alchemist ( def. )
Explanation
A scientist who studies the elements that make up all matter is a chemist. If you enjoy doing experiments that involve mixing substances in test tubes, you'd probably love being a chemist. Chemists practice the science of chemistry, which examines the properties that make up everything in the universe. These working scientists examine the tiniest particles of substances, the atoms and molecules that form the earth, the oceans, and even you, yourself. Chemists also study how elements interact with each other and form new substances; we have chemists to thank for inventing penicillin, plastic, and artificial sweeteners, among many other things.
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:
Shaughnessy Naughton, a chemist who worked on drug discovery and breast cancer research, founded 3.14 Action in 2016 after two unsuccessful tries for a congressional seat in the Philadelphia suburbs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
Many scientists have made significant contributions in the field, though three regularly mentioned for the Nobel are Canadian endocrinologist Daniel Drucker, Danish physician Jens Juul Holst and Yugoslav-born American chemist Svetlana Mojsov.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
People can be referred to their local pharmacy via NHS111 or by their GP, or just go direct to their high street chemist.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Linus Pauling was a chemist from the United States who won two Nobel Prizes.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
She tells him run to O’Connor the chemist around the corner to ring up an ambulance or a doctor or something for Mikey.
From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt
Chemists have long wondered how that process occurs, and the two Nobel laureates' discoveries have "enabled chemists to drive chemical reactions that lead to homochirality", the jury said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
The listed roles include electrical engineers, explosive experts, chemists and software specialists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Organic chemists routinely study chains of atoms that form the molecular foundations of medicines, advanced materials, agrochemicals, polymers and many other technologies used in everyday life.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Earlier generations of chemists developed many foundational ideas using the experimental techniques available at the time.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
It was a common practice for chemists of the time to use the sense of taste as an analytic tool.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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