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.
Cost-of-living worries due to higher gasoline prices factored in the souring sentiment, particularly among lower-income consumers, José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers, told MarketWatch in a phone interview.
From MarketWatch • May 24, 2026
Trump’s comment widened the range of plausible outcomes anticipated by investors from the Warsh Fed, said James Egelhof, chief U.S. economist at BNP Paribas.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said April's borrowing figure was "substantially higher" than a year earlier, with higher tax receipts being "more than offset by higher spending on benefits and other costs".
From BBC • May 22, 2026
"The UK economy is facing a perfect storm, as rising political uncertainty adds to the growing impact from the war in the Middle East," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The typical economist believes the world has not yet invented a problem that he cannot fix if given a free hand to design the proper incentive scheme.
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.
