1
archaic : one who practices economy
2
: a specialist in economics

Examples of economist in a Sentence

Economists are predicting rapid inflation.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Retired University of Chicago economist Sam Peltzman also complicates the picture. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026 Capital Economics economist Hamad Hussain said the reserve release could lower diesel prices temporarily, but would not resolve the underlying supply crunch. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 Oct. 2026 Altogether, these individuals would owe at least $107 billion in taxes, according to an analysis by economists Jasper Boll, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Gunnar Knapp, a professor emeritus at the University of Alaska Anchorage and a prominent fishery economist, told me that the trawling issue has become about more than just fishing regulations. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for economist

Word History

Etymology

Middle French oeconome, iconome "manager of a household" (borrowed from Medieval Latin oeconomus, going back to Late Latin, "administrator, manager," borrowed from Greek oikonómos "manager of a household, steward") + -ist entry 1 — more at economy entry 1

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of economist was in 1586

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Cite this Entry

“Economist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economist. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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