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expert

/ˌɛkˈspʌrt/

/ˈɛkspət/

IPA guide

Other forms: experts

An expert is someone who knows a ton about the subject at hand. The adjective form of expert describes someone or something that has that special knowledge. If you get expert instruction, that means an expert is your teacher.

The word expert is related to experience, and to be an expert at something you need experience. While your academic honors might suggest that you're an expert in certain areas, like rocket science, other fields — like wake boarding and tattoo art, for example — require more hands-on experience before you're an expert. The word expert is also an adjective: once you become really good at it, people will say you're an expert snake handler.

Definitions of expert
  1. noun
    a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully
    synonyms: pundit
    see moresee less
    types:
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    ace, adept, champion, genius, hotshot, maven, mavin, sensation, star, superhero, superstar, virtuoso, whiz, whizz, wiz, wizard
    someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
    agronomist
    an expert in soil management and field-crop production
    all arounder, all-rounder
    a versatile person who is expert at many things
    analyst
    someone who is skilled at analyzing data
    analyst
    an expert who studies financial data (on credit or securities or sales or financial patterns etc.) and recommends appropriate business actions
    anatomist
    an expert in anatomy
    antiquarian, antiquary, archaist
    an expert or collector of antiquities
    arbiter, supreme authority
    someone with the power to settle matters at will
    archer, bowman
    a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow
    authority
    an expert whose views are taken as definitive
    black belt
    a person who attained the rank of expert in the martial arts (judo or karate)
    cabalist, kabbalist
    an expert who is highly skilled in obscure or difficult or esoteric matters
    calculator, computer, estimator, figurer, reckoner
    an expert at calculation (or at operating calculating machines)
    climatologist
    someone who is expert in climatology
    computer expert, computer guru
    an authority on computers and computing
    cosmetologist
    an expert in the use of cosmetics
    efficiency engineer, efficiency expert
    an expert in increasing the efficient use of machines and personnel
    exegete
    a person skilled in exegesis (especially of religious texts)
    genealogist
    an expert in genealogy
    geographer
    an expert on geography
    horticulturalist, horticulturist, plantsman
    an expert in the science of cultivating plants (fruit or flowers or vegetables or ornamental plants)
    investigator
    someone who investigates
    jurist, legal expert
    a legal scholar versed in civil law or the law of nations
    lapidarist, lapidary
    an expert on precious stones and the art of cutting and engraving them
    logician, logistician
    a person skilled at symbolic logic
    mnemonist
    an expert in the use of mnemonics; someone able to perform unusual feats of memory
    mythologist
    an expert on mythology
    nerd
    an intelligent but single-minded expert in a particular technical field or profession
    commentator, observer
    an expert who observes and comments on something
    out-and-outer
    someone who is excellent at something
    parliamentarian
    an expert in parliamentary rules and procedures
    past master
    someone who has long and thorough experience in a given activity
    prosthetist
    an expert in prosthetics
    pteridologist
    an expert in the study of ferns
    guide, pathfinder, scout
    someone who can find paths through unexplored territory
    shark
    a person who is unusually skilled in certain ways
    shooter, shot
    a person who shoots (usually with respect to their ability to shoot)
    specialiser, specialist, specializer
    an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning
    talent
    a person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity
    technician
    someone known for high skill in some intellectual or artistic technique
    technocrat
    an expert who is a member of a highly skilled elite group
    healer, therapist
    a person skilled in a particular type of therapy
    old hand, old stager, old-timer, oldtimer, stager, veteran, warhorse
    an experienced person who has been through many battles; someone who has given long service
    enologist, fermentologist, oenologist
    a specialist in wine making
    naprapath
    a therapist who practices naprapathy
    adder
    a person who adds numbers
    adjuster, adjustor, claim agent, claims adjuster, claims adjustor
    one who investigates insurance claims or claims for damages and recommends an effective settlement
    adviser, advisor, consultant
    an expert who gives advice
    alleviator
    a therapist who makes suffering more endurable
    credit analyst
    an analyst who studies the financial statements and financial history of applicants for credit in order to evaluate their creditworthiness
    financial analyst, securities analyst
    an analyst who studies the financial performance of corporations
    industry analyst
    an analyst of conditions affecting a particular industry
    market analyst
    an analyst of conditions affecting a market (especially the stock market)
    annotator
    a commentator who writes notes to a text
    assayer
    an analyst who assays (performs chemical tests on) metals
    attache
    a specialist assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission
    number cruncher
    someone able to perform complex and lengthy calculations
    canonist
    a specialist in canon law
    cartographer, map maker
    a person who makes maps
    chiropractor
    a therapist who practices chiropractic
    comparative anatomist
    anatomist who compares the anatomy of different animals
    cognoscente, connoisseur
    an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts
    coroner, medical examiner
    a public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes
    criminologist
    a specialist in criminology
    crystallographer
    a specialist in crystallography
    curandera
    a Mexican woman who practices healing techniques inherited from the Mayans
    curandero
    a Mexican man who practices healing techniques inherited from the Mayans
    detective
    an investigator engaged or employed in obtaining information not easily available to the public
    dialectician
    a logician skilled in dialectic
    dietician, dietitian, nutritionist
    a specialist in the study of food, nourishment, and health
    educationalist, educationist
    a specialist in the theory of education
    electrotherapist
    someone who specializes in the treatment of disease by electricity
    evaluator, judge
    an authority who is able to estimate worth or quality
    examiner, inspector
    an investigator who observes carefully
    fingerprint expert, fingerprint man, fingerprint specialist
    a specialist in identifying fingerprints
    gardener, nurseryman
    someone who takes care of a garden
    Germanist
    a specialist in the study of Germanic language or culture or literature
    designer, graphic designer
    someone who specializes in graphic design
    graphologist, handwriting expert
    a specialist in inferring character from handwriting
    histologist
    anatomist who specializes in the microscopic study of animal tissues
    herb doctor, herbalist
    a therapist who heals by the use of herbs
    high priest
    a preeminent authority or major proponent of a movement or doctrine
    hunting guide
    guide to people hunting in unfamiliar territory
    intelligence analyst
    a government analyst of information about an enemy or potential enemy
    decorator, designer, house decorator, interior decorator, interior designer, room decorator
    a person who specializes in designing architectural interiors and their furnishings
    limnologist
    a specialist in the study of freshwater ponds and lakes
    liturgist
    an authority on liturgies
    longbowman
    a medieval English archer who used a longbow
    crack shot, marksman, sharpshooter
    someone skilled in shooting
    master, professional
    an authority qualified to teach apprentices
    meteorologist
    a specialist who studies processes in the earth's atmosphere that cause weather conditions
    mufti
    a jurist who interprets Muslim religious law
    naturopath
    a therapist who practices naturopathy
    ombudsman
    a government appointee who investigates complaints by private persons against the government
    oculist, optometrist
    a person skilled in testing for defects of vision in order to prescribe corrective glasses
    orientalist
    a specialist in oriental subjects
    osteologer, osteologist
    an anatomist who is skilled is osteology
    osteopath, osteopathist
    a therapist who manipulates the skeleton and muscles
    physical therapist, physiotherapist
    therapist who treats injury or dysfunction with exercises and other physical treatments of the disorder
    clinical psychologist, psychotherapist
    a therapist who deals with mental and emotional disorders
    sangoma
    a traditional Zulu healer and respected elder
    gun, gunman
    a person who shoots a gun (as regards their ability)
    speech therapist
    a therapist who treats speech defects and disorders
    actuary, statistician
    someone versed in the collection and interpretation of numerical data (especially someone who uses statistics to calculate insurance premiums)
    subtracter
    a person who subtracts numbers
    syllogiser, syllogist, syllogizer
    logician skilled in syllogistic reasoning
    symbolic logician
    a person skilled at symbolic logic
    systems analyst
    a person skilled at systems analysis
    Teutonist
    a specialist in the history of the Teutonic people or language (especially with respect to the Teutonic influence on the history of England)
    track star
    a star runner
    trailblazer
    someone who marks a trail by leaving blazes on trees
    trapshooter
    a person who engages in shooting at clay pigeons that are hurled into the air by a trap
    arborist, tree surgeon
    a specialist in treating damaged trees
    UNIX guru
    an expert on the UNIX operating system
    type of:
    individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul
    a human being
  2. adjective
    having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
    “an expert job”
    synonyms: adept, good, practiced, proficient, skilful, skillful
    skilled
    having or showing or requiring special skill
  3. adjective
    of or relating to or requiring special knowledge to be understood
    synonyms: technical
    skilled
    having or showing or requiring special skill
Pronunciation
US

/ˌɛkˈspʌrt/

UK

/ˈɛkspət/

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