expertise
1 Americanverb (used with or without object)
noun
Etymology
Origin of expertise
First recorded in 1865–70; from French: “survey, report (made by experts),” with -ise understood as an abstract noun suffix; expert, -ise 2
Explanation
When you're an expert at something, you show expertise — or an exceptional knowledge of the subject. "He had expertise in accounting, having excelled in math, but he had even more expertise in dancing, his hobby since a small child." Expertise has obvious roots in the word expert. Just about any interest or field has a place for experts. Just as one individual has expertise in world religions, another may have expertise in computer gaming. Working hard or immersing yourself in a specialty leads to expertise, and it comes through both study and hands-on experience.
Vocabulary lists containing expertise
Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 41-50
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Eight
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English Words Derived from French, List 4
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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.
It soon came to provide crucial expertise and support to thousands of local election officials grappling with increasingly sophisticated attacks.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
He has been buoyed up by the fact that war in the Middle East has seen countries turn to Ukraine for drone technology and expertise, both of which it can offer in abundance.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
NSF NOIRLab contributed both scientific expertise and key observations.
From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026
“High capital intensity, specialized expertise necessary for manufacturing, and the highly regulated nature of aerospace and defense markets are key driving forces of strong barriers to AI disruption,” she says.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Knowing that the duke will welcome military expertise, Leonardo says that he’s an engineer who can dig underground tunnels.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
