pro-expansionist
|pro-ex-pan-sion-ist|
🇺🇸
/proʊ-ɪkˈspænʃənɪst/
🇬🇧
/prəʊ-ɪkˈspænʃ(ə)nɪst/
in favor of expansion (territorial/political)
Etymology
'pro-expansionist' is a compound formed from the prefix 'pro' (from Latin 'pro', meaning 'for' or 'in favor of') and 'expansionist' (from 'expansion' + agentive suffix '-ist'). 'Expansion' comes from Latin 'expansio' (from 'expandere') meaning 'a spreading out', and the suffix '-ist' denotes an adherent or advocate.
'expansionist' developed in English from Latin via Middle French: Latin 'expandere' ('to spread out') → Late Latin/Latin noun 'expansio' → Old/Middle French 'expansion' → English 'expansion' + English agentive suffix '-ist' to form 'expansionist'; the combining prefix 'pro-' (Latin 'pro') was later attached in modern political usage to indicate being 'for' expansion, yielding 'pro-expansionist'.
Initially the Latin root 'expandere' meant 'to spread out' literally; over time the derived English forms came to denote the idea of territorial/political/economic enlargement, and 'pro-expansionist' now specifically means 'in favor of such enlargement or expansionist policies'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who supports expansion (especially territorial, political, or economic expansion).
He was known as a pro-expansionist who advocated increasing the nation's overseas presence.
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Adjective 1
favoring policies or actions that expand territory, influence, or control.
The administration adopted a pro-expansionist stance in its foreign policy.
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Last updated: 2025/10/27 20:36