specialist
Americannoun
-
a person who is devoted to one subject or to one particular branch of a subject or pursuit.
-
a medical practitioner who devotes attention to a particular class of diseases, patients, etc.
-
U.S. Army. an enlisted person of one of four grades having technical or administrative duties, the grades corresponding to those of corporal through sergeant first class but not requiring the exercise of command.
-
Stock Exchange. a member of an exchange who buys and sells a single stock or a particular group of stocks in their own name or for other stockbrokers and thus helps maintain the market in those securities on that exchange.
noun
-
-
a person who specializes in or devotes himself to a particular area of activity, field of research, etc
-
( as modifier )
specialist knowledge
-
-
an enlisted rank in the US Army denoting technical qualifications that entitle the holder to a noncommissioned officer's pay
-
ecology an organism that has special nutritional requirements and lives in a restricted habitat that provides these Compare generalist
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of specialist
Explanation
A specialist has an area of expertise in a profession or branch of learning. Call an ear, nose, and throat specialist if you can’t shake a stuffy nose, but go to a Shakespeare specialist to learn about King Lear. Specialist started off as a word used just for doctors who focused particular diseases or parts of the body, but now a specialist can be someone with a narrow focus in any field. A specialist is any professional with a specialty — lawyers are specialists because each lawyer deals with a specific kind of legal work. To be a specialist you have to study or get experience in a specific field for a long time.
Vocabulary lists containing specialist
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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!
National Nurses Week: Hospital People and Places
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!
Things Not Seen
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:
“Black bears become addicted to human food, and they seek it out,” said Alexia Ronning, Tahoe bear specialist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
“The center is working with several specialist veterinarians to determine the best supportive care for the moment,” the nonprofit wrote in a Facebook post, which racked up more than 120,000 likes within hours.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
“The raging battle continues to take barrels off the market,” said Robert Yawger, a commodity specialist at Mizuho Securities USA, in an emailed note Tuesday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Two weeks ago, Macs was transferred to a specialist unit in Bristol where his condition has since deteriorated.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Another black guy, a specialist, fourth class, came over and joined me and Peewee.
From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
The admissions group that will lead it, the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools, will consult with representatives of the state Board of Education and K-12 subject specialists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
"Now the plant is resuming operations, specialists and workers are being recruited. We are pinning our hopes on this plant, that people will come and the village will continue to live."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The collaboration brought together specialists from Japan, Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
Similar drops were seen at chains like Panera Bread, as well as at salad specialists Chopt and Sweetgreen.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Discoveries in the last half-dozen years, by archaeologists, geneticists, linguists, and other specialists, have enriched our understanding of this story, without changing its main outlines.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
