generalist

American  

[jen-er-uh-list] / ˈdʒɛn ər ə lɪst /

noun

1. a person whose knowledge, aptitudes, and skills are applied to a field as a whole or to a variety of different fields (opposed to specialist).

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generalist British  

/ ˈdʒɛnrə-, ˈdʒɛnərəlɪst /

noun

1. 1. a person who is knowledgeable in many fields of study

   2. ( as modifier )

      a generalist profession

2. ecology an organism able to utilize many food sources and therefore able to flourish in many habitats Compare specialist

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Etymology

Origin of generalist

First recorded in 1605–15; general + -ist

Example Sentences

It is designed to provide consistency for clients but has upset some litigators accustomed to a generalist culture.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The illness is caused by the generalist parasite Plasmodium relictum and has played a central role in the steep declines and extinctions of native Hawaiian honeycreepers.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

That should help them avoid losing their businesses to generalist models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

Lean away from the generalist “all‐Chinese consumer” narrative—many firms still rely on young households who are delaying big purchases.

From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025

The challenge, as always, was to play the role of market generalist without also playing the role of fool at the poker table.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis