ENGLISH
REFERENCE

economist

n.
US //iˈkɑnəmɪst// UK //ɪkˈɒnəmˌɪst// econ·o·mist
  1. 1 professional expert (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an expert who studies how money, trade, and resources work in a country or industry.

    a professional who studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, often advising on policy or market trends.

    Example

    The government hired a famous economist to help fix the country's money problems.

    Example

    Leading economists are currently debating whether the central bank's decision to raise interest rates will effectively curb inflation without triggering a recession.
  2. 2 frugal person (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    someone who is very careful with money and avoids wasting it.

    a person who manages resources, money, or time with extreme frugality and efficiency.

    Example

    In the old story, the main character was a strict economist who never spent a penny on toys.

    Example

    The Victorian novelist depicted the protagonist as a grim economist of his own time, accounting for every second spent away from his ledgers.

    Usage

    In modern English, this sense is almost entirely replaced by 'frugal person' or 'saver'.
    • spendthrift
    • wastrel
Origin

From Middle French économiste (“household manager”). By surface analysis, economy + -ist.

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