expert
Definitions
A person with great knowledge or skill in a particular area
专家；行家
Having or showing great skill or knowledge
熟练的；内行的；专家的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Latin expertus, the participle of experīrī = 'one who has been tried out.' The picture is exact: an expert isn't someone who merely studied, but someone reality has tested over and over until the trying is done — they simply know. (The variant spelling 'pert' here is the participle stem perītus.)
Root peri still carries 23 more wordsUsage Guide
Both noun and adjective are stressed EX-pert (no stress shift). As an adjective, prefer 'expert at + V-ing' or 'expert in + field' ('expert at coding,' 'expert in tax law'). Attributive use is very common: 'expert opinion,' 'expert witness,' 'expert advice.'
Example Sentences
- 1.
She is a leading expert on climate change.
- 2.
You need expert advice before signing the contract.
- 3.
He is expert at fixing old cars.
Easily Confused
expert vs specialist — both are skilled, but a specialist is defined by a narrow field (a heart specialist deals only with hearts), while an expert is defined by depth of mastery and can be broad. Every specialist hopes to be an expert; not every expert is a specialist.