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theorist

American  
[thee-er-ist, theer-] / ˈθi ər ɪst, ˈθɪər- /

noun

  1. a person who theorizes.

  2. a person who deals mainly with the theory of a subject.

    a theorist in medical research.
ˈtheorist British  
/ ˈθɪəˌrɪst /

noun

  1. the originator of a theory; a person who is concerned with theory; a theoretician

"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

Etymology

Origin of theorist

First recorded in 1585–95; theor(y) + -ist

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.

Does thinking of Martin Luther King Jr. as a game theorist sound far-fetched?

From The Wall Street Journal

"I'm not a conspiracy theorist type person, at all, but I honestly think it's financially motivated," said Jillian Lucas, one of the patients.

From BBC

They alleged that she "disregarded all credible evidence disproving her claim in favour of platforming known conspiracy theorists and proven defamers".

From BBC

Include game theorists who think four moves ahead, chemical engineers who understand how to apply reverse chokeholds on China, and operators who can execute at speed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Eager to pick the theorist’s mind, Churchill asked Berlin, “What do you consider your best work?”

From The Wall Street Journal

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.