The word "scientist" did not exist before 1833!

Language is often considered a reflection of culture; the words that exist in a particular language often control and reflect what people can think and/or talk about and also how society perceives something. Prior to the 1800s, science was quite oppressed by Western civilization and thus there was no apt word for someone who explored science.

The scientists of the time were referred to as “natural philosopher.” This seems all fine and good until you realize that philosophy is much more subjective than science, and calling thus calling these people “philosophers” indicated that their discoveries and conclusions were also subjective. It was actually the English philosopher and science historian William Whewell who coined the term “scientist” in 1833.

It was first published in Whewell's anonymous 1834 review of Mary Somerville's On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences published in the Quarterly Review At the time, more specific terms such as “chemist,” “mathematician,” “biologist,” etc. Were also sprouting.

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