'surrealist' originates from French, specifically the word 'surréaliste,' where 'sur-' meant 'beyond' and 'réaliste' meant 'realist.'

'surréaliste' transformed into the English word 'surrealist' and eventually became the modern English word 'surrealist' through the influence of the surrealism art movement.

Initially, it meant 'beyond realism,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.