naturalist

noun

nat·​u·​ral·​ist ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-list How to pronounce naturalist (audio)
1
: one that advocates or practices naturalism
2
: a student of natural history
especially : a field biologist

Examples of naturalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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At the Palace itself, the naturalists have counted more than 40 species of birds so far, with numbers likely to go up through the winter. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 David Mizejewski is a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation and author of Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife. Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026 The subject of this engaging biography is the eighteenth-and-nineteenth-century naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, who is often ridiculed as a faulty precursor to Darwin. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 So we were intrigued to learn that Copeland had teamed up with celebrated naturalist Martyn Stewart for a pioneering album, sharing the limelight, not with Sting, but with hyenas, owls and howler monkeys. Heather Abbott, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for naturalist

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of naturalist was in 1587

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Cite this Entry

“Naturalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naturalist. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

naturalist

noun
nat·​u·​ral·​ist ˈnach-(ə-)rə-ləst How to pronounce naturalist (audio)
: a person who specializes in natural history
naturalist adjective

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