geologist
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of geologist
Explanation
If you’re fascinated by rocks and spend hours digging for interesting samples in the backyard, you might be a budding geologist, a scientist who studies all things related to the Earth. A geologist is an expert in the field of geology, the study of what the Earth is made of and how it was formed. The woman on TV explaining the history of an active volcano that’s ready to erupt? She’s probably a geologist who specializes in volcanoes. Geologists can specialize in many different aspects of the field, ranging from earthquakes to soil erosion. What they all have in common is that they’re trying to figure out how the Earth works.
Vocabulary lists containing geologist
Occupations
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!
Earth Science - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Origins of Civilization, Lessons 1–2
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:
“To a geologist, this is not at all surprising.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
That ash contained feldspar crystals, which scientists can date to determine when the eruptions happened, explained ASU geologist Christopher Campisano.
From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026
Toby and Daniel Rice are both Rice Investment operating partners, while their brothers Derek, a geologist, and Ryan, a petroleum reservoir engineer, work on the firm’s technical and administrative team, according to the presentation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
The books themselves were both 1836 works about fossils, written by geologist Reverend William Buckland.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
Samuel Haughton, a respected geologist at Trinity College in Dublin, announced an estimated age for the Earth of 2,300 million years–way beyond anything anybody else was suggesting.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Materials theoretical physicists, geologists, and materials engineers are working together to identify the most sustainable route from raw mineral deposits to finished products.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
The archive brings together surveys conducted by Belgian geologists as well as files from mining companies that operated in the vast African country before independence in 1960.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Mapping efforts by geologists have already revealed the scale of the underground network, helping researchers estimate how much energy it might provide.
From Science Daily ● May 6, 2026
Today's North Sea is what geologists call a mature and declining basin.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
Even for geologists it barely rates a footnote.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
