Expert and Experience Come From Trying Things
An expert has deep knowledge of a field. The Latin root means to try, and experience is what accumulates from trying.
An expert is someone with authoritative knowledge or skill. The root is trial: Latin *experiri* means to try or test, so an expert is one who has tried things. *Experience*, *experiment* and *peril* all come from the same verb, which links knowledge, testing and risk in a single family.
- Someone with deep knowledge. *A legal expert.*
- Skilled. *An expert hand.*
- Expertise — specialist skill. *Technical expertise.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | expert | A leading expert. |
| Plural | experts | Two experts. |
| Adjective | expert | Expert advice. |
| Noun | expertise | Rare expertise. |
| Related | experience | Years of experience. |
How it is used in a sentence
- An expert witness gives opinion evidence.Law.
- Expertise takes years to build.Noun.
- Experiment and peril share the root.Both involve trial and risk.
Words from *experiri*, to try
- Expert — one who has tried
- Experience — the accumulation of trials
- Experiment — a deliberate trial
- Peril — a trial in the dangerous sense
- Empirical — from a Greek relative, based on observation
From Latin *expertus*, past participle of *experiri*, to try, from *ex* and a root meaning to attempt — the same root as *peril*.
Are expert and peril related?
Yes. Both come from a root meaning to try. Peril kept the danger in trying; expert kept the knowledge gained from it.
Expert or specialist?
A specialist works in a narrow field. An expert has authoritative knowledge, which may be broader.