economist

noun

econ·​o·​mist i-ˈkä-nə-mist How to pronounce economist (audio)
1
archaic : one who practices economy
2
: a specialist in economics

Examples of economist in a Sentence

Economists are predicting rapid inflation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet economists, the Congressional Budget Office and Wall Street all see little or no progress in coming years for the deficit-to-gross domestic product ratio. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 Walmart is among the first batch of major retailers to report second-quarter results, which could offer industry analysts and economists another read on whether ongoing price pressures from the conflict in Iran have impacted consumer behavior. — Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Northwestern University economist Chuck Manski studies decision-making amid uncertainty. — CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 Penalties ‘proportional to the struggle’ Healthcare economists and researchers expressed skepticism that Connecticut’s new measures would be all that effective in reducing costs. — Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for economist

Word History

Etymology

Middle French oeconome, iconome "manager of a household" (borrowed from Medieval Latin oeconomus, going back to Late Latin, "administrator, manager," borrowed from Greek oikonómos "manager of a household, steward") + -ist entry 1 — more at economy entry 1

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of economist was in 1586

Rhymes for economist

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Browse Nearby Words

economism
economist
Economite
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Cite this Entry

“Economist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/economist. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on economist

Nglish: Translation of economist for Spanish Speakers

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