anticentralist
|an-ti-cen-tral-ist|
/ˌæn.tiˈsɛn.trə.lɪst/
against centralization
Etymology
'anticentralist' originates from the combining form 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and 'centralist' (from 'central' + '-ist'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'central' related to 'center'.
'central' comes from Latin 'centralis' (from 'centrum'), which in turn traces to Greek 'kentron' meaning 'center' or 'sharp point'. The suffix '-ist' was added in English to form 'centralist' (one who favors centralization), and 'anti-' was prefixed in modern English to form 'anticentralist' meaning 'against centralists' or 'against centralization'.
Initially formed simply as 'against centralists' or 'against centralization', the term has retained that basic meaning and is used to describe persons or policies opposing centralized authority.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who opposes centralization or centralist policies; an advocate of decentralization.
He was an anticentralist who argued that more authority should be returned to local councils.
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Adjective 1
opposed to centralization; favoring decentralization or the reduction of central authority.
The party adopted anticentralist policies in its platform.
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Last updated: 2025/08/28 12:54