naturalist

[ nach-er-uh-list, nach-ruh- ]

/ ˈnætʃ ər ə lɪst, ˈnætʃ rə- /

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noun

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

an adherent of naturalism in literature or art.

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Origin of naturalist

First recorded in 1580–90; natural + -ist

OTHER WORDS FROM naturalist

an·ti·nat·u·ral·ist, noun, adjectivenon·nat·u·ral·ist, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH naturalist

naturalist , naturist, nudist

Words nearby naturalist

natural harmonics, natural hat trick, natural history, natural immunity, naturalism, naturalist, naturalistic, naturalistic fallacy, naturalization, naturalize, natural justice

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use naturalist in a sentence

Yet Corbett was also a naturalist, and India’s first national wildlife preserve is named for him.
I did not spend my summer binge-watching TV. Here are the books I loved instead.|Michael Dirda|August 25, 2021|Washington Post
Yet explorers, naturalists and writers often dismissed such accounts, relegating them to myth along with tales about shape-shifting bears.
Polar bears sometimes bludgeon walruses to death with stones or ice|Gloria Dickie|July 29, 2021|Science News
Guest curator Carlo Falciani suggests that these signify a move from imitare to ritrarre, or from naturalist depiction to portrayal.
At the Met, beautiful paintings that won’t love you back|Philip Kennicott|June 24, 2021|Washington Post
The crew does a fantastic job of whipping up excitement about the national park and its surrounding waters, and they often have a guest naturalist or ranger on board to answer any questions.
The Ultimate Channel Islands National Park Travel Guide|Shawnté Salabert|June 23, 2021|Outside Online

Snake tongues are so peculiar they have fascinated naturalists for centuries.
Why do snakes flick their tongues?|Purbita Saha|June 20, 2021|Popular-Science
Archie Carr, The Windward Road: Adventures of a Naturalist On Remote Caribbean Shores—The title tells you a lot, but not enough.
Book Bag: Overlooked Classic Books From the Sunshine State|Randy Wayne White|September 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His chronicle of his trip, The Naturalist on the River Amazons, became a bestseller when it was published in 1863.
Exploring the Amazon, While We Still Can|Darrell Hartman|May 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Whenever I read Matthiessen the naturalist, I am reminded of a film clip I once saw of him trying to catch a snake in the wild.
Peter Matthiessen Was One of the Greatest Writers of a Great Generation|Malcolm Jones|April 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Besides being an accomplished naturalist and novelist, Matthiessen was also a dedicated Buddhist.
Peter Matthiessen Was One of the Greatest Writers of a Great Generation|Malcolm Jones|April 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Doug Peacock is a naturalist and author who lives in Montana.
Incontrovertible Evidence Proves the First Americans Came From Asia|Doug Peacock|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Herr Beske is a naturalist, and resides here with his wife, who is almost as scientific as himself.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
Mr. Bannaker was also a naturalist, and wrote a treatise on locusts.
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States|Martin R. Delany
As an example of this feeling among birds, Romanes quotes an interesting illustration from Edward, the naturalist.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
John Locke, an American physician and naturalist, died at Cincinnati, aged 64.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Peter Forskal died; a celebrated Swedish naturalist and oriental traveler.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for naturalist

naturalist

/ (ˈnætʃrəlɪst, -tʃərəl-) /

noun

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

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012