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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a cognitive scientist and linguist, a lot of my research training is about symbols and about the construction of identity in that way. — Stephanie Shih june 17, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026 It was created by more than 100 linguists and language educators. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 28 June 2026 So the academy—a panel of forty-five linguists, scientists, philosophers, and others—makes formal recommendations about how the language can and cannot change. — Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Historians and linguists generally trace the name back to old Germanic words connected to the local landscape, rather than anything supernatural. — Anna Noryskiewicz, CBS News, 1 June 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

linguipotence
linguist
linguister
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Linguist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linguist. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for linguist

Nglish: Translation of linguist for Spanish Speakers

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