Added 9 October 2026
physicist
/ˈfɪzɪsɪst/ noun
In Latin: none, coined in 1794 Coined: 1794, by William Whewell Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about physicist at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A person whose occupation specializes in the science of physics, especially at a professional level.
- A believer in the theory that the fundamental phenomena of life are to be explained upon purely chemical and physical principles (opposed to vitalist).
Origin
From physics + -ist. Coined by the English polymath William Whewell (1794–1866) in his book The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences (1840): see the quotation.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)