expert

The word “expert” means a person with deep knowledge or skill in a particular field. In plain terms, someone (or something) with a high level of skill or knowledge.

“Expert” is pronounced EHK-spurt (/ˈɛk.spɜɹt/ in IPA).

Here is “expert” used in a sentence: “She consulted an expert before investing in the stock market.”

Words with a similar meaning to “expert” include proficient, maven, specialist and demon.

The opposite of “expert” — its antonyms — are inexpert and nonexpert.

Depending on how it is used, “expert” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “expert” comes from Latin. From Old French expert, from Latin expertus, "tried, proven," the past participle of experiri ("to try") — related to "experience.".

“Expert” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

A specialist concentrates deeply on one narrow area, such as a heart specialist in medicine. An expert is anyone with deep knowledge or skill in a field, whether broad or narrow. Every specialist is an expert in their niche, but an expert may have wide-ranging mastery rather than a single focus.

In most fields, yes. Expertise is built through study, experience, and sustained, focused practice rather than talent alone. Popular writing suggests thousands of hours of deliberate practice, though the exact figure is debated. Feedback, good teaching, and learning from mistakes all speed the journey from beginner to genuine expert.

The opposite is a novice or beginner — someone with little knowledge or skill in the field. Related words include amateur, learner, and layperson, describing people without specialist training. Where an expert acts with deep, practised understanding, a novice is still learning the basics and lacks that depth of experience.