'pastoralist' originates from English, specifically formed from the adjective 'pastoral' plus the agent suffix '-ist', where Latin 'pastor' meant 'shepherd'.

'pastoralist' developed from the adjective 'pastoral' (from Middle English 'pastoral', from Old French 'pastoral'), itself from Latin 'pastor' and Latin 'pastoralis'; the modern English agent form was created by adding '-ist' to denote a person engaged in pastoral activity.

Initially related to matters of shepherds and rural life ('relating to shepherds'), the term came to denote specifically a person who herds or manages livestock (a 'shepherd' or 'livestock manager') in modern usage.