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

His career as a pianist is not paying the bills.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The pianist is playing a nocturne, a lovely bit of night music.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

He saw a split later during his time as a medical student at Columbia—some patients upstairs being entertained by a pianist, others in the basement treated as a “burden on the hospital.”

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

The 2019 Kennedy Center honoree, a protege of the late Leonard Bernstein, was a gifted pianist known for his exuberant compositions and ability to break down musical genres, particularly his dynamic interpretations of Gustav Mahler.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

The pianist sat down and played the first note and foomp!, all this foam exploded out of the piano.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah