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

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

One of the key factors keeping the “elusive generalist investor” from investing in energy stocks has been the risk of a downside in oil prices, J.P.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 16, 2025

Biotech’s wooden performance discourages generalist investors from joining industry specialists in supporting the sector, which might help startups’ raise capital as well as generate liquidity for venture backers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 31, 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