specialist

noun

spe·​cial·​ist ˈspe-sh(ə-)list 

1

: one who specializes in a particular occupation, practice, or field of study

a specialist in disorders of the immune system

a specialist in international law

"What does Dr. James Mortimer, the man of science, ask of Sherlock Holmes, the specialist in crime?"

—Arthur Conan Doyle

2

: an enlisted rank in the U.S. Army corresponding to the grade of corporal

also : any of several former enlisted ranks corresponding to the grades of sergeant through sergeant major

3

: an organism (such as a bird) specialized especially in food or habitat

specialist adjective

or specialistic

ˌspe-shə-ˈli-stik 

Examples of specialist in a Sentence

She consulted a marketing specialist when she decided to go into business.

He saw a specialist for his foot problem.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Miami needs two edge players to raise their hands as edge-setting specialists to address all of the position’s responsibilities. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026

The Spa The hotel’s stylish subterranean spa, a roughly 6,500-square-foot complex, features candlelit treatment rooms offering everything from deep-tissue recovery work to the Rea Signature four-hands massage, with two specialists simultaneously tackling your stress. —Anya Von Bremzen, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026

The largely processional final Giro stage, that ended with eight laps through Rome, was won by sprint specialist Jonathan Milan. —ABC News, 31 May 2026

Without going into too much detail, the fundamental shift was to stop treating every rocket launch as a dramatic one-off experiment built from scratch by teams of specialists. —David Szondy may 31, New Atlas, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing specialist

• specialist shop
• sub-specialist

Kids Definition

specialist

noun

spe·​cial·​ist ˈspesh-(ə-)ləst 

1

: a person who studies or works at a special occupation or branch of learning

an eye specialist

2

: an enlisted person in the army with a rank similar to that of corporal

specialist adjective

or specialistic

ˌspesh-ə-ˈlis-tik 

Medical Definition

specialist

noun

spe·​cial·​ist ˈspesh-(ə-)ləst 

: a medical practitioner whose practice is limited to a particular class of patients (as children) or of diseases (as skin diseases) or of technique (as surgery)

especially : a physician who is qualified by advanced training and certification by a specialty examining board to so limit his or her practice