expert
Americannoun
-
experts
plural
-
a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority.
a language expert.
- Synonyms:
- master, connoisseur
-
Military.
-
the highest rating in rifle marksmanship, above that of marksman and sharpshooter.
-
a person who has achieved such a rating.
-
adjective
-
possessing special skill or knowledge; trained by practice; skillful or skilled (often followed by in orat ).
an expert driver;
to be expert at driving a car.
- Synonyms:
- dexterous, proficient, experienced
- Antonyms:
- unskillful
-
pertaining to, coming from, or characteristic of an expert.
expert work;
expert advice.
verb (used with object)
noun
adjective
-
skilful or knowledgeable
-
of, involving, or done by an expert
an expert job
Synonym Usage
See skillful.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of expert
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin expertus “tried,” past participle of experīrī “to try”; cf. experience
Explanation
An expert is someone who knows a ton about the subject at hand. The adjective form of expert describes someone or something that has that special knowledge. If you get expert instruction, that means an expert is your teacher. The word expert is related to experience, and to be an expert at something you need experience. While your academic honors might suggest that you're an expert in certain areas, like rocket science, other fields — like wake boarding and tattoo art, for example — require more hands-on experience before you're an expert. The word expert is also an adjective: once you become really good at it, people will say you're an expert snake handler.
Vocabulary lists containing expert
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 41-50
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 7
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
An expert could analyze the individual brushstrokes on the statue to identify the exact origins of the bust, she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Tech expert Luca Arnaboldi said pager technology - which dates back as far as the 1950s but were most commonly used from the 1980s - was "never meant for privacy"
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
But now, there is a “premium” on traits that may not have been as highly regarded before the advent of AI, says workplace-performance expert Henna Pryor.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Historically Pakistan always wanted to be seen as primus inter pares”—first among equals—“in the Muslim world,” says Farzana Shaikh, an expert on Pakistan at the British think tank Chatham House, in a phone interview.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
“Here on vacation and you’re some kind of expert? Let me guess, one-week rental?”
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
FSG says the deal "supports Liverpool's long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from across global business, technology, and investment".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The Reds became the top-earning Premier League club for the first time this year, according to sports finance experts Deloitte, announcing record revenues of £703 million for the 2024-25 financial year.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
In the case of the Lincoln, the carrier has been able to make few port calls while in the Arabian Sea, likely because of security concerns from the continuing war, naval experts said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Employers themselves don’t have to give money to the accounts for workers to take advantage of the new tax break, experts noted — they just have to update their benefits plans.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
The “blast lung” theory has been embraced by a significant number of experts.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
