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 Headstrong Project As a former cryptologic linguist with the U.S. Air Force attached to the intelligence community, Tahlia Burton dos Santos translated Pashto in real time to identify and subvert threats to military service men and women in Afghanistan. —Robin Roenker, USA Today, 21 May 2025

Developing standardized yet flexible protocols for these qualitative assessments is an ongoing research area, demanding collaboration between computer scientists, psychologists, ethicists, linguists, and human-computer interaction experts. —Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

Sonia eventually earned a Ph.D. and is now a computational linguist for a major tech company. —Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2025

Some linguists and other scientists have been quick to point out that chimpanzee communication is far less flexible and complicated than human language. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 12 May 2025

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