antivivisectionists
|an-ti-vi-vi-sec-tion-ist|
/ˌæn.tiˌvɪv.ɪˈsɛk.ʃən.ɪst/
(antivivisectionist)
opposed to animal experimentation
Etymology
'antivivisectionist' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'), plus 'vivisection' (from French/Latin), with the agentive suffix '-ist' meaning 'one who holds a position'.
'vivisection' changed from Late Latin/French elements derived from Latin 'vivus' ("alive") + 'sectio' ("a cutting"), became English 'vivisection' in the 18th–19th centuries, and 'antivivisectionist' arose in English in the 19th century to describe opponents of the practice.
Initially it meant 'a person opposed to vivisection (live animal experiments),' and this core meaning has remained stable into modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who opposes vivisection — the practice of performing operations on live animals for experimental or scientific purposes.
Antivivisectionists protested outside the laboratory against animal testing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/12 09:03