economist

American  

[ih-kon-uh-mist] / ɪˈkɒn ə mɪst /

noun

• economists
  plural

1. a specialist in economics.

2. Archaic. a thrifty or frugal person.

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economist British  

/ ɪˈkɒnəmɪst /

noun

1. a specialist in economics

2. archaic a person who advocates or practises frugality

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• economists
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of economist

First recorded in 1580–90; econom(y) + -ist

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

economist economists

Ashley Webb, senior UK economist for Capital Economics, said the fall in the unemployment rate was "unexpected", and that it suggests the labour market "continues to recover".

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

“The financing needs are much smaller,” said Samy Chaar, chief economist at Lombard Odier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote that he thinks the latest inflation data will prompt enough Fed policymakers to pivot to support the October and December option.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 17, 2026

The fund's chief economist Silvana Tenreyro noted this week that global trade rose 8.3 percent between 2023 and 2025 -- a figure she said would be closer to 4.6 percent without AI-related products.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

When we walked into the Eagle, Francis did not exchange his usual raucous greetings with the Persian economist Ephraim Eshag, but gave the undistilled impression that something serious was up.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

The latest data shows US GDP, external - which is how economists measure the size of the US economy - currently expanding at an annualised rate of 2.2%.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

The benchmark 10-year yield rose from 4.2% at the start of the year to 5.1% this week, and roughly three-quarters of economists think it will end this year at 5% or higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

“In particular, our economists expect that income growth for the bottom income quintile will accelerate notably in 2027 as inflation slows and January cost-of-living adjustments boost transfer payments,” they said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

Forecast for each period reflects the average among economists who provided a forecast.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Some economists argue that the apparent paradox rests on an illusion: there is no real “labor shortage,” only a shortage of people willing to work at the wages currently being offered.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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