-ist,suffixcorresponding to F. -iste, L. -ista,Gr.-ιστής, forming agent-nouns from verbs in -ίζειν(see-ize), consisting of the agential suffix -της added to the verb-stem, as in βαπτίζ-ειν to dip, βαπτισ-τής dipper, L. baptista, F. baptiste baptist. Cognate to the suffix -ισµός, -ism.Examples of the Greek use are ἀγωνιστής combatant, competitor, λογιστής calculator, πολεµιστής warrior, σοϕιστής clever man, sophist; κιθαριστής player on the cithara, λυριστής player on the lyre, τυµπανιστής drummer; ἀττικιστής a partisan of Athens, one who Atticizes, Ἑλληνιστής a Hellenizer, one who speaks Greek; λακωνιστής one who sides with or imitates Lacedaemon, or uses laconism. A few words of this form were taken into Latin during or soon after the classical period,e.g.citharista, cymbalista, danīsta (usurer), grammatista, logista, lyrista, petaurista (rope-dancer), sophista, tympanista; the number of these was greatly increased by Christian writers, in the latinizing of scriptural and ecclesiastical terms, such as agōnista, baptista, catēchista, collybista, euangelista, exorcista, psalmista, tocista. In later use, -ista became a favourite formative of names denoting the observers of a particular rite, the holders of special religious or philosophical tenets, or the adherents of particular teachers or heresiarchs; hence such names as Catharista, Origenista, Platōnista, and in scholastic use Scotista, Thōmista, nōminālista, reālista, etc. Hence the suffix (with the needed adaptations, F. -iste,Eng.andGer.-ist, etc.) has passed into the modern languages. In English, its use has received a wide extension, it being now used not merely as the agent-noun of verbs in -ize (beside -izer), as in plagiarize, plagiarist, and in association with nouns of action or function in -ism, as in altruism, altruist, but also, on the analogy of these, in a multitude of terms, having no corresponding words in -ize or -ism, which denominate the professed followers of some leader or school, the professional devotees of some principle, or the practisers of someart.In some cases, the form in -ist approaches closely to the native agent-noun in -er, being distinguished only by the more professional or systematic sense which it implies:cf.conformer, conformist; copier, copyist; cycler, cyclist; philologer, philologist. Many of thens.in -ist give rise toadjs.in -istic, -istical; but words of modern formation are to a great extent used adjectively unchanged, as in the royalist party, a Bonapartist plot, nonconformist principles.The following are the chief modern English uses of the suffix:1.Forming a simple agent-noun derived from aGr.verb in -ίζειν, and often accompanying anEng.verb in -ize. Such are agonist, antagonist, baptist, catechist, epitomist, evangelist, exorcist; apologist, plagiarist, ostracist, syllogist.2.Designating a person who practises some art or method, or who prosecutes, studies, or devotes himself to some science, art, or branch of knowledge, originally expressed by a word of Greek formation in -ια (Eng.-y), -µα(τ) (-ma, -m), -η (-e), etc., but in later examples, also by words of Latin or other origin. Such are archæologist, chronologist, economist, etymologist, genealogist, geologist, meteorologist, mineralogist, mythologist, philologist, physiologist, zoologist; alchemist, algebr(a)ist, anatomist, botanist, chemist, metallurgist, microscopist, phlebotomist, physicist, physiognomist, theorist; academist, chirographist, monopolist, rhapsodist, symmetrist; bigamist, monogamist, polygamist; dogmatist, dramatist, epigrammatist, schematist, etc. To these may be added (from L. sources) annalist, capitalist, journalist, memorialist, mineralist, moralist, satirist, scientist (L. scientia), etc.These have a possible verb in -ize, often in use,e.g.anatomize, botanize, dogmatize, dramatize, economize, geologize, journalize, monopolize, moralize, theorize, etc.3.Designating an adherent or professor of some creed, doctrine, system, or art, which is usually denominated by a cognate -ism:e.g.altruist (a professor of altruism), animist, atheist, Chartist, deist, egoist, egotist, hedonist, monotheist, pædobaptist, polytheist, ritualist, ventriloquist, etc.; with a large number derived from personal names, as Bonapartist, Brownist, Buddhist, Calvinist, Darwinist, Hattemist, Scotist, Spinozist, Thomist, Wycliffist, and nonce-words without limit, as Lambist, Lockeist, Stuartist, Weismannist, etc.b.Formed on an adjective (usually also with a cognaten.in -ism and often anadj.in -istic), as devotionalist, externalist, fatalist, formalist, humanist, idealist, imperialist, loyalist, materialist, naturalist, nominalist, opportunist, pluralist, positivist, purist, rationalist, realist, royalist, socialist, universalist.4.Formed from otherns.(chiefly Latin) without accompanying words in -ize or -ism, and denoting one whose profession or business it is to have to do with the thing or subject in question, as amorist, artist, canonist, casuist, colourist, decretist, dentist, duellist, fashionist, florist, humorist, jurist, linguist, medallist, novelist, numerist, oculist, opinionist, organist, querist, statist, tobacco(n)ist. Also from names of languages, as Americanist, Anglist, Germanist, Hebraist, Hellenist, Latinist, Orientalist. Sometimes, fromvbs., as conformist, computist, controvertist, favourist, impartist, separatist, speculatist.b.These lead the way to modern formations from current words of all kinds and even from phrases; as balloonist, billiardist, bimetallist, 'celloist, cocainist, cyclist, fetishist, footballist; with such nonce-formations as hammerist, selfist, truthist; great aukist, physical forcist, red tapist, second adventist, etc.Words in -ist are treated, according to their importance, in their alphabetical places, or under the Main words on which they are formed; the following are illustrations of some of those of more trivial or ephemeral character, nonce-words, and the like.1884Pall Mall G. 17 Sept. 11/1Associations of amateur *balloonists.1897Pall MallMag.Feb. 196Chalmers the *'celloist and orientalist.1897Westm.Gaz.22 Jan. 8/1A considerable proportion of chronic *cocainists have fallen under the dominion of the drug from a desire to stimulate their powers of imagination.1862Literary Churchman VIII. 207/2If by any chance the Benedicite should be used, the *Consecutivist would be completely bewildered.1869Contemp.Rev.XII. 278The obstructive Conservative in art may just as naturally be a classicist as a mediævalist or *dark-ageist.1868FreemanNorm.Conq. (1876) II.App.558This time we for once get the *Godwinist version.1900Daily Express 20 June 5/2The gem of the collection is a great auk's egg,..and is regarded by *great aukists as the finest specimen of its special type of marking in the world.1857ReadeCourse of True Love 48The *hammerist[i.e. field geologist]can jump out of his gig at any turn of the road.1850tr.Mosheim'sEccl.Hist.(1863) III. iv. ii. ii. §36. 390The Dutch sects of Verschorists and *Hattemists having been better known among us.1876JohnsonUniv.Cycl.,Hattemists, the followers of one Pontianus van Hattem, a Dutch minister of the eighteenth century who was excommunicated for Spinozism.1892Pall Mall G. 19 May 6/1Philosopher—artist—and general *impartist Of cynical views on society.1898Daily News 3 Jan. 6/4The Prince was not disposed to reject contemptuously those *Lamaist miracles of which he heard.1868SalaLamb'sWks.I. p. xiv,There have not been any *Lambists; on no particular shoulders did the mantle of his idiosyncrasies descend.1856EmersonEng.Traits, LiteratureWks.(Bohn) II. 106'Tis quite certain, that Spenser, Burns, Byron, and Wordsworth will be Platonists; and that the dull men will be *Lockeists.1848W. E. Forster 26 May in Wemyss ReidLife (1888) I. vii. 247The *physical forcists have gained a strength in my absence which[etc.].1890J. W. BrownItal.Campaign i. iv. 103The Protestant movement..was prejudiced by *Plymouthists and their sectarian spirit.1842R. FordLet.in Smiles Mem.J. Murray (1891) II. xxxvi. 491[They]yield not in..insolence to any kind of *red-tapists.1897Westm.Gaz.29 Dec. 2/1The colony of German ‘*Second Adventists’, just outside the Jaffa Gate, has done far more than anything else to spoil the approach to the Holy City.1898Daily News 10 Oct. 7/4There were six heats, and the *semi-finalists were Gandin, Deltour, Ashe, and Machenry.1889Daily News 4 Oct. 5/1The true *Stuartists..were all for the propagation of the faith, according to the profession of the Order of the White Rose.1897Westm.Gaz.5 Feb. 10/1Our Stuartist and ‘White Rose’ ladies and gentlemen.1896Life A. J. Gordon 315Not that one should be a pessimist..he should, above all else, be a *truthist.1890Times (weeklyed.) 10 Jan. 7/3There are[in biology]pure Darwinists, Wallaceists, *Weismannists, Lamarckites, and Romanesists.