úkonom

Ökonom is a German noun with two primary meanings. In contemporary usage, it denotes a person who studies, teaches, or works in the field of economics, i.e., an economist. The feminine form is Ökonomin and the plural Ökonomen. In historical contexts, the term also referred to a steward or administrator of an estate or household, responsible for its finances and operations.

Etymology and related terms come from the Greek oikonomía, meaning household management, via Latin and French into German. The noun Ökonomie is closely related and can denote the science of economics, while the more general term for the economy is Wirtschaft. In modern German, Ökonomie is often used to refer to the academic discipline, whereas Wirtschaft is the broader concept of the economy and economic activity.

Usage and scope: Ökonom typically refers to an individual working as an economist, possibly in academia, government, research institutes, or the private sector. The term can also appear in compound titles such as Wirtschaftsökonom or Volkswirt, which emphasize macroeconomic or economic policy focus. In everyday language, people may use the term economics-based titles or describe someone as an economist without specifying subfields.

See also: Economics, Wirtschaft, Volkswirtschaftslehre, Ökonomie.