See Also:

ist (iou)



-ist suffix.
[French -iste, Latin -ista, Greek -istes forming agent-nouns from verbs in -izein: see -IZE.]
Forming personal nouns, sometimes agent-nouns corresp. to verbs in -IZE, as antagonist; more freq. denoting (a) a person who makes a systematic study of a particular art or science or who is occupied with something professionally or on a large scale: orig. corresp. to Greek abstract nouns in -ia, -mat-, etc., as chemist, dramatist, economist, geologist; later formed from nouns of other origins, as dentist, pianist, tobacconist; (b) an adherent of a particular system of beliefs, principles, discrimination, etc., corresp. to nouns in -ISM, and often used also as adjectives, as Buddhist, Darwinist, idealist, Marxist, positivist, racist.