modernists
|mod-ern-ist-s|
🇺🇸
/ˈmɑːdərnɪsts/
🇬🇧
/ˈmɒdənɪsts/
(modernist)
supporter of modernism
Etymology
'modernist' originates from English, formed from 'modern' + the suffix '-ist', where 'modern' ultimately comes from Latin 'modernus' (from 'modo' meaning 'just now') and the suffix '-ist' denotes 'one who practices or is concerned with'.
'modernist' developed in the late 19th to early 20th century as a derivative of 'modern' and 'modernism'. 'modernus' (Latin) passed into Romance languages (e.g. Old French 'moderne'), then into Early Modern English as 'modern', which later produced 'modernism' and the agent noun 'modernist'.
Initially 'modern' (from Latin) meant 'just now' or 'recent'; over time it evolved to mean 'relating to the present or recent times'. 'modernist' came to mean specifically a supporter or practitioner of the modern (modernist) movement, especially in arts and culture.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'modernist'.
The modernists met to debate the future direction of the movement.
Synonyms
Noun 2
people who support, practice, or are identified with modernism — especially in the arts, literature, architecture, or cultural movements; advocates of modern ideas, techniques, or styles.
Many modernists rejected classical forms and experimented with abstract techniques.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/17 12:05