naturalist

American  

[nach-er-uh-list, nach-ruh-] / ˈnætʃ ər ə lɪst, ˈnætʃ rə- /

noun

naturalists plural

1. a person who studies or is an expert in natural history, especially a zoologist or botanist.

2. an adherent of naturalism in literature or art.

---

naturalist British  

/ ˈnætʃrəlɪst, -tʃərəl- /

noun

1. a person who is expert or interested in botany or zoology, esp in the field

2. a person who advocates or practises naturalism, esp in art or literature

---

naturalist Scientific  

/ năch′ər-ə-lĭst /

1. A person who specializes in natural history, especially in the study of plants and animals in their natural surroundings.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antinaturalist
  noun
• nonnaturalist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• naturalists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of naturalist

First recorded in 1580–90; natural + -ist

Explanation

That neighborhood kid who is always collecting butterflies and leaves? He just might grow up to be a naturalist, or a scientist who specializes in studying nature. A biologist whose interest lies primarily in the study of plants or animals can be called a naturalist, although these days it's more likely she'll be called a natural historian, a botanist, or a zoologist. The noun naturalist comes from the Latin word natura, "course of things, natural character, the universe," or literally, "birth." Be careful not to confuse naturalist with naturist, which is another word for a person who prefers to be naked — a nudist.

Related Words

• biologist
• botanist
• conservationist
• ecologist
• environmentalist
• zoologist