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  

/ ˈdʒɛnərəlɪst, ˈdʒɛnrə- /

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

See Examples For:

generalist

In a recent study of real clinical cases, some AI models gave safer advice than generalist physicians, but other models made a serious mistake in more than 1 in 5 cases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

But Great Comp is hosting a healthy mix of generalist and mobile species that are said to be "flourishing" with regular appearances in the garden.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

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

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