kutató

Kutató is a Hungarian noun meaning a researcher or investigator, a person who conducts systematic study to gain knowledge. It can also function as an adjective describing activities related to research, as in kutató munka. The word is derived from the verb kutat, to search or investigate, with the agent suffix -ó.

In contemporary use, kutató typically refers to someone who carries out research in universities, research institutes, museums, archives, or companies. The term covers scientists in the natural and social sciences as well as scholars in the humanities. It is common in job titles and institutional names, for example kutatóintézet (research institute) or kutatópont (research hub). In journalism, the idea of investigative work can be expressed with kutató, though more precise terms such as kutató újságíró or vizsgáló may be used depending on the context.

The plural form is kutatók. The noun is gender-neutral; when needed, a female researcher can be specified with kutató nő or the tighter form kutatónő, though the base term remains widely used for any gender.

See also: kutatóintézet, kutatók, kutatómunka, kuta­tás és fejlesztés (research and development).