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:
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
“Howard has never run a diversified business, nor is he an expert on enterprise risk-management,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Andrew Kitchener, an expert in mammals at National Museums, Scotland, who was not involved with the research, says the small spotted South American cats known as tiger cats have been a "taxonomic nightmare".
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The sea snake’s possible sighting is likely connected to this summer’s warm ocean water, said Hayley Crowell, a snake expert at San Diego State University.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Incorrigibles had become expert at spending their days wisely, all thanks to an invention they called “the to-doawoo list.”
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Chinese space-technology players are looking to grow their reach, experts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Since the beginning, experts have questioned the legality of the strikes, which initially drew strong criticism from Latin American leaders whose citizens have been targeted.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Election experts said some of the worst threats have already been blocked, but acknowledged remaining worries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
But royal experts have questioned some of the book's claims.
From Barron's
Virginians were also the most adept at employing what Adams called “puffers,” what we would call “spinners” or public-relations experts.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
