Chemist
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 A person who specializes in the science of chemistry, especially at a professional level.
"It was Oxford now—the matriculation photograph, posed in the stony front quad at Corpus, the pelican on top of the sundial appearing to sit on the head of the lanky, begowned chemist at the centre of the back row."
- 2 a scientist who specializes in chemistry wordnet
- 3 Synonym of pharmacist. Australia, British, New-Zealand
- 4 a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs wordnet
- 5 Synonym of pharmacy, especially as a standalone shop or general store. Australia, British, New-Zealand, South-Africa
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- 6 An alchemist. obsolete
Example
More examples"Two of my friends are researchers; one is a linguist, the other a chemist."
Etymology
First attested 1562, borrowed from French chimiste, from Medieval Latin chimista, from earlier alchimista (literally “alchemist”), from Arabic الْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ), from article al- + Ancient Greek χυμεία (khumeía, “art of alloying metals”), from χύμα (khúma, “fluid”), from χυμός (khumós, “juice”), from χέω (khéō, “I pour”). As a synonym for pharmacy, a metonymous use of the proprietor to stand for their shop.
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.