nonscientist

noun

non·​sci·​en·​tist ˌnän-ˈsī-ən-tist How to pronounce nonscientist (audio)
plural nonscientists
: a person who is not a scientist or who lacks training in the sciences
trusted by both scientists and nonscientists

Examples of nonscientist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This behavior is related to what the nonscientist might call aggression and would seem to cast doubt on breed stereotypes of aggressive dogs, like pit bulls. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 Many nonscientists — including President Trump — have noted the seasonality of colds and flu and hoped the novel coronavirus would act likewise. William J. Broad, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2020 So in addition to following public-health guidelines, how can nonscientists engage with studies, or news that cites studies, to help them protect their health? Checking sources is important: Heed information that comes from respected journals. Kim Tingley, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2020 The news of coronavirus epidemics around the world involves a flood of numbers that are a challenge for any nonscientist to digest. James Gorman, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2020 This new approach could even include criticism by nonscientists. David Randall, WSJ, 25 Sep. 2018 All the signals seem to be telling scientists (and nonscientists as well) not to go into federal public service. Andrew A. Rosenberg, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2018 Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research agrees with these proposals, but further suggests that any advisory entities include independent animal welfare experts, ethicists, and nonscientists. Elisa A. Hurley, STAT, 4 Apr. 2018 If the science behind the patents appears exotic to the nonscientist, the legal strategy is easy to grasp. Cynthia Koons, Bloomberg.com, 7 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonscientist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonscientist was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near nonscientist

Cite this Entry

“Nonscientist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonscientist. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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