linguist

noun

lin·​guist ˈliŋ-gwist 

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

The result was Olive, an AI model trained on transcripts of conversations marked up by linguists so that the model could better understand the nuances of human speech. — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026

One of the nation’s top forensic linguists is warning those following the case not to jump to conclusions. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026

It was created by more than 100 linguists and language educators. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 28 June 2026

Sci-fi novelists envisioned universal translators, and linguists devised international languages, all in pursuit of a world where one person could speak and another could understand, regardless of where either was born. — Krupa Shandilya, The Conversation, 25 June 2026

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

Kids Definition

linguist

noun

lin·​guist ˈliŋ-gwəst 

1

: a person skilled in languages

2

: a person who specializes in linguistics