Expert — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈek-ˌspərt/ ex·pert

Meaning & Definition of Expert

Expert (noun)

  1. one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject

Expert (adjective)

  1. having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience
  2. experienced

Expert (verb)

  1. to serve as an expert

Expert (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field

    "experts at the crime lab were able to tell the sex, race, and approximate age of the murderer"

    similar: ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, dab (chiefly British), dab hand (chiefly British), fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, master, maven, meister, past master, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizard
    related: pro, professional, consultant, hired gun, specialist, addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, craftsman, journeyman, all-rounder (British), jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man, mistress
    opposite: amateur, inexpert, nonexpert
    near: apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice, dabbler, dilettante, layman, nonprofessional

Expert (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. accomplished with trained ability

    "to a serious collector, the expert carving on the duck decoy justifies its high price"

    similar: adroit, artful, bravura, deft, delicate, dexterous, masterful, masterly, practiced, skillful, virtuoso, workmanlike
    related: facile, smooth, artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat, adept, clever, cunning, able, adequate, capable, competent
    opposite: amateur, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful
    near: awkward, clumsy, crude, klutzy, ineffective, ineffectual, incompetent, inept

  2. having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor

    "people interested in laser eye surgery are advised to seek out an expert practitioner"

    similar: accomplished, ace, adept, compleat, complete, consummate, crack, crackerjack, educated, experienced, good, great, master, masterful, masterly, practiced, professed, proficient, skilled, skillful, versed, veteran, virtuoso
    related: adroit, clever, deft, dexterous, handy, slick, sure-handed, gifted, talented, polished, refined, effective, effectual, efficient, workmanlike, able, capable, competent, employable, fit, fitted, habile, qualified, knowledgeable, schooled, taught, trained, tutored, all-around, well-rounded, long-term, old, multiskilled, multitalented
    opposite: amateur, amateurish, inexperienced, inexpert, jackleg, unprofessional, unseasoned, unskilled, unskillful
    near: incapable, incompetent, inept, unable, unfit, unfitted, unqualified, weak, artless, crude, rude, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficient, talentless, ungifted, untalented, ignorant, unschooled, untaught, untrained, untutored, beginning, green, inexperienced, new, raw, unseasoned, untested, untried, would-be, primitive, rough, unpolished, awkward, clumsy, ham-fisted, ham-handed, heavy-handed

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Expert

The most common words with a similar meaning to Expert:

Chiefly British: dab, dab hand
ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, master, maven, meister, past master, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizard, adroit, artful, bravura, deft, delicate, dexterous, masterful, masterly, practiced, skillful, workmanlike, accomplished, compleat, complete, consummate, crack

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Expert

Words with the opposite meaning of Expert:

amateur, inexpert, nonexpert, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful, inexperienced, jackleg, unseasoned, unskilled

Related Words for Expert

pro, professional, consultant, hired gun, specialist, addict, aficionado, buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan, craftsman, journeyman, all-rounder, jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man, mistress, facile, smooth, artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat, clever, cunning, able, adequate, capable, competent

Near Antonyms of Expert

apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice, dabbler, dilettante, layman, nonprofessional, awkward, clumsy, crude, klutzy, ineffective, ineffectual, incompetent, inept, incapable, unable, unfit, unfitted, unqualified, weak, inefficient, talentless, ungifted, untalented, ignorant, unschooled, untaught, untrained

Word Forms of Expert

Inflections: experted, experting, experts

Derived words: expertly (adverb), expertness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Expert

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, derivative of expert expert:2

First known use: 1535

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Expert

Words & Phrases Containing Expert

expert system, expert witness, efficiency expert

Frequently Asked Questions about Expert

What does "Expert" mean?

"Expert" means one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Expert"?

Other words for "Expert" include ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack and dab. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Expert" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Expert"?

There are 106 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Expert". Common alternatives include ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack, dab, dab hand and fiend.

What is the opposite of "Expert"?

Antonyms of "Expert" include amateur, inexpert, nonexpert, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional and unskillful. Near antonyms include apprentice, beginner, neophyte and novice.

How do you use "Expert" in a sentence?

Examples of "Expert" in a sentence: "experts at the crime lab were able to tell the sex, race, and approximate age of the murderer"; "to a serious collector, the expert carving on the duck decoy justifies its high price"; "people interested in laser eye surgery are advised to seek out an expert practitioner".

Is "Expert" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Expert" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Expert" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Expert" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Expert"?

"Expert" is pronounced /ˈek-ˌspərt/ and divided into syllables as ex·pert.