linguist

noun

lin·​guist ˈliŋ-gwist How to pronounce linguist (audio)
Synonyms of linguistnext
1
: a person accomplished in languages
especially : one who speaks several languages
2
: a person who specializes in linguistics

Examples of linguist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Additional images show Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019, alongside the likes of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, linguist Noam Chomsky, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and conservative political strategist Steve Bannon. Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025 At the Lia Rumantscha, a handful of young linguists set about producing grammars and dictionaries, translating government documents, and coining words on the fly. Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025 That view was challenged in a recent paper by Gašper Beguš, a linguist at the University of California, Berkeley; Maksymilian Dąbkowski, who recently received his doctorate in linguistics at Berkeley; and Ryan Rhodes of Rutgers University. Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025 My father worked as a military linguist with a specialty in Mandarin Chinese and Russian. Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for linguist

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from New Latin linguista, from Latin lingua "tongue, speech, language" + -ista -ist entry 1 — more at tongue entry 1

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of linguist was in 1591

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Cite this Entry

“Linguist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linguist. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

linguist

noun
lin·​guist ˈliŋ-gwəst How to pronounce linguist (audio)
1
: a person skilled in languages
2
: a person who specializes in linguistics

More from Merriam-Webster on linguist

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