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
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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.
See Examples For:
ORNL's Tao Wang contributed expertise in molten salt chemistry, while ORNL's Logan Kearney supplied high-density polymers and provided expert guidance on possible routes for converting them into higher-value products.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
McEvoy suffered from schizoaffective disorder, the expert said, adding it was clear she needed treatment, potentially for the remainder of her life.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The expert trade employees would leave if the promise of equity riches went unfulfilled, and stores full of unsold goods could have dragged the company into bankruptcy in its early days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
“He is an expert builder and strategist, technical and product-minded, with sharp instincts for what fans actually want.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Perhaps Pili would be an expert the way Glory had been nearly an expert at the library.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Here is what experts say actually drives fulfillment in your next chapter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Activists and experts say that while a few dozen bodies appeared to have been formally buried, the vast majority told a different story.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Or, as Peter McCormack, one of the experts presenting on the main stage, put it: “For most people, pain is going to be the thing that brings them to Bitcoin.”
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
A cause of Tuesday’s crash has not been determined, but some experts have said they believe mechanical failure might be the cause.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
“Two experts say St. Helens could erupt before the end of the century. They’re right. It could erupt next week or wait 500 years,” another article offered.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
