economist
Americannoun
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a specialist in economics
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archaic a person who advocates or practises frugality
Etymology
Origin of economist
Explanation
The word economist is close to economics, which is the science of money. An economist is a person who practices that science. If your economics course isn't being taught by an economist, the chances are you should switch sections. In the 16th century, the word was used to describe the person who managed the household, which certainly explains courses in "home economics." But the current meaning of economist — a person who studies the flow of cash and credit between people, institutions, banks, etc. — first developed during the 18th century. Perhaps that's no surprise either, as that's when the global economy truly became, well, global.
Vocabulary lists containing economist
Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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The Executive Branch: The Presidency and Vice Presidency
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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.
Isabelle Mateos y Lago, chief economist at BNP, told Barron’s on Wednesday the conflict could serve as another wake-up call for world leaders.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
Argentina now resembles “two different economies living in one,” said Mauricio Monge, senior Latin America economist at Oxford Economics: a fast-growing export sector alongside a stagnating domestic one.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
The economist argued that, even if AI makes the cost of providing goods or services cheaper, demand and the need for more employees might go along with it.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
“This is a significant and necessary step towards reopening the Strait and, potentially, ending the war,” said James Reilly, senior markets economist at Capital Economics.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
This one happened to be an economist who, instead of thinking grand macro thoughts, favored his own list of offbeat micro curiosities.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
