behaviorist

noun be·hav·ior·ist \ bi-ˈhā-vyə-rist , bē- \

|Updated on: 21 Aug 2018

Definition of behaviorist

1 : a person who advocates or practices behaviorism

2 : a person who specializes in the study of behavior

an animal behaviorist

—

behaviorist

adjective

Recent Examples of behaviorist from the Web

Stephanie Borns-Weil, a veterinary behaviorist who runs the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic, spends her days working with dogs who are overly aggressive, fixated on shadows, and snapping at nonexistent flies.

— david scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Are we making our pets crazy, too?," 13 July 2018
And the $25,000 the zoo spent on an animal behaviorist became a national punchline.

— david scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Did humans drive this polar bear insane?," 13 July 2018
To the rescue, making return appearances, are animal behaviorist Owen (Chris Pratt) and former park manager and Owen's former girlfriend Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard).

— peter rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' is the latest and arguably least of the series," 22 June 2018
Evans offered to bring Sophia to South Carolina to work with dog behaviorist/trainer Craig Simpson.

— amy mcrary, USA TODAY, "Puppy with anxiety gets special flight for canine therapy," 7 Mar. 2018
Another animal behaviorist, Jill Goldman, is far from pleased about these YouTube videos.

— alexis hobbs, Woman's Day, "The Important Reason Why Everyone Needs to Stop Scaring Cats With Cucumbers," 20 Nov. 2015
Static buildup in their fur is another likely explanation, says Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist at Tufts University and chief scientific officer at the Center for Canine Behavior Studies.

— National Geographic, "Why Your Dog Freaks Out During Thunderstorms—And What to Do," 28 Apr. 2018
Geller sits on the board of directors at Cat Connection in Waltham and volunteers as a behaviorist for shelters in Brimfield, Medfield, and Hopkinton.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Even the naughtiest cat listens to this whisperer," 23 Mar. 2018
Here Comes the Groom All cat species, wild or not, get hairballs, Letitia Fanucchi, an animal behaviorist at Washington State University, says via email.

— National Geographic, "Do Big Cats Get Hairballs?," 17 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'behaviorist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of behaviorist

1913

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

behaviorist

noun be·hav·ior·ist

variants: or chiefly British behaviourist play \-rəst\

medical Definition of behaviorist

1 : a person who advocates or practices behaviorism

2 : a person who specializes in the study of behavior

Animal behaviorists are often consulted regarding such problems as aggression, self-mutilation, food aversion and inappropriate urination or defecation.
—Tom Ewing, Dog Watch, January 2009