pianist

American  

[pee-an-ist, pyan-, pee-uh-nist] / piˈæn ɪst, ˈpyæn-, ˈpi ə nɪst /

noun

1. a person who plays the piano, especially one who performs expertly or professionally.

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pianist British  

/ ˈpɪənɪst /

noun

1. a person who plays the piano

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Etymology

Origin of pianist

1830–40; < French pianiste < Italian pianista. See piano ¹, -ist

Explanation

If you play the piano, you are a pianist. The word most often describes a professional piano player, like a pianist in the symphony. A pianist might work playing jazz standards in a restaurant or performing solo shows on stages all over the world. A local pianist might make some extra money by giving piano lessons to kids, tuning pianos, or serving as a substitute music teacher. The French source of the word pianist is pianiste, which comes from the Italian piano e forte, "soft and loud."

Example Sentences

Few critics care whether it is more enjoyable for the pianist to play Chopin or Beethoven.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Alice McLeod was a highly gifted and accomplished pianist who later became renowned for her mastery of the harp.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Sedaka, an accomplished pianist, became a star in his own right in the early 1960s, with pop hits including "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do."

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

Sedaka, a skilled pianist nominated for five Grammy awards, also wrote hits for several other famous musicians in his six-decades-long career.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

She had fingers like a pianist, he decided, delicate and perfect.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny