suffix
1Forming personal nouns and related adjectives denoting an adherent of a system of beliefs, principles, etc. expressed by nouns ending in -ism.
See -ism (sense 2)‘hedonist’- ‘Calvinist’
- 1.1Forming nouns (and related adjectives) denoting a person who subscribes to a prejudice or practises discrimination.
- ‘sexist’
2Forming nouns denoting a member of a profession or business activity.
‘dentist’- ‘dramatist’
- ‘florist’
- 2.1Forming nouns denoting a person who uses a thing.‘flautist’
- ‘motorist’
- 2.2Forming nouns denoting a person who does something expressed by a verb ending in -ize.
- ‘plagiarist’
Origin
From Old French -iste, Latin -ista, from Greek -istēs.
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