gallerist
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of gallerist
First recorded in 1965–70; galler(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )
Explanation
A person who owns or runs an art gallery can be called a gallerist. If you love the idea of buying and selling paintings and sculptures, being a gallerist might be your dream job. Gallerist, a relatively new word that was coined from gallery, is preferred by some in the art world to the older term art dealer. A gallerist handles the business side of art, representing specific artists by showing their work in a gallery and selling it to collectors, museums, and art enthusiasts. Many gallerists have college degrees in art history and a lifelong appreciation for art.
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.
Saar died in her sleep — just a few days short of her 100th birthday — in Los Angeles, her longtime gallerist Julie Roberts at Robert Projects said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Cook was a bookseller, photographer and gallerist, and at one point we hear Oliver recall the rhythms of their home life, her partner printing pictures while she wrote poems at the kitchen table.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
“You don’t see them walking around, and stopping in a gallery, and buying art, and trying to cultivate connoisseurship with their siblings or their children,” said Valerie Wade, a San Francisco gallerist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
The gallerist agreed to uncover the artwork, revealing to the bride-to-be a painting that depicted them in that very moment.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
One striking piece to note is a Claude Lalanne ginkgo bench, which is meant to reflect Monsieur Dior’s early days as a gallerist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
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.
