fundamentalists
|fun-da-men-tal-ists|
/ˌfʌndəˈmɛntəlɪsts/
(fundamentalist)
strict adherence
Etymology
'fundamentalist' originates from English, formed from 'fundamental' + the agent suffix '-ist'; 'fundamental' comes from Late Latin 'fundamentum', where 'fund-' (from Latin 'fundus') meant 'bottom' or 'foundation'.
'fundamental' derives from Late Latin 'fundamentum' → Old French 'fondement' → Middle English forms 'fondement'/'fundement', and later produced the adjective 'fundamental'; in English the noun/agent form 'fundamentalist' developed in the early 20th century (via 'fundamentalism' + '-ist').
Initially related to 'foundation' or 'basis'; over time it came to refer particularly to strict adherence to a set of basic principles (especially in a religious context), and 'fundamentalist' now denotes a person who holds such views.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'fundamentalist'.
Fundamentalists often resist changes to long-held doctrines.
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Noun 2
people who advocate or follow strict, literal adherence to the basic principles or doctrines of a religion, ideology, or movement (often contrasted with modernist or liberal interpretations).
Political fundamentalists rejected the compromise proposed by the reformers.
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Last updated: 2026/01/10 09:29