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economist

Etymology and origin of the English word economist

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1586

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɪˈkɒn.ə.mɪst/, /iːˈkɒn.ə.mɪst/ (UK); /iˈkɑ.nə.mɪst/, /ɪˈkɑ.nə.mɪst/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from economy and -ist,[2][3] perhaps after French économiste.[4] The New Oxford takes it from Greek Ancient Greek οἰκονόμος (oikonómos, “household manager”) with -ist.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

One who manages a household, a housekeeper: 1586 in the OED and Merriam-Webster, the 1580s in Etymonline.[5][2][4]

Semantic evolution

A manager in general, careful in the use of resources, is from 1710,[5] and one who practises saving from 1758.[5] The modern sense, a student of political economy, is from 1804,[4][5] the New Oxford dating it to the early 19th century.[3] The French Économistes, the Physiocrats, were called economists from 1776.[5]

Timeline

  • 1586 – a household manager.[5]
  • 1758 – a saver.[5]
  • 1776 – the French Économistes.[5]
  • 1804 – a student of economics.[4][5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. An expert in economics.
  2. (archaic) A thrifty person.

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  3. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Economist.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/economist. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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