naturalist

1 of 2

noun

nat·​u·​ral·​ist ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-list 

1

: a student of natural history

especially : a field biologist

2

: one that advocates or practices naturalism

naturalist

2 of 2

adjective

nat·​u·​ral·​ist ˈna-ch(ə-)rə-list 

less common variant of naturalistic

: of, characterized by, or according with naturalism

Examples of naturalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And a 26-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin arrived aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Beagle, which had sailed from England nearly four years earlier on a mission to chart South America. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026

Other conservation efforts include a program run by Bahamian naturalist Elijah Sands, who has documented more than 300 species of plants and wildlife on the island. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026

Founded in 1812 by seven amateur naturalists, the academy is the oldest natural history museum in the Americas and among the country’s leading scientific institutions. — News Desk, Artforum, 9 Sep. 2026

Over time, whites began adopting the remedy, and in 1753, the eminent Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus named the tree Quassia amara. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

naturalist

noun

nat·​u·​ral·​ist ˈnach-(ə-)rə-ləst 

: a person who specializes in natural history

naturalist adjective