-ist

suffix

1 (in nouns) someone who believes in a particular religion or set of principles or ideas: a Buddhist | a Scottish Nationalist

2 (in adjectives) connected with or showing a particular political or religious belief: her socialist views | He's very rightist. (=supports the political right 3 (4b))

3 (in nouns) someone who studies a particular subject, plays a particular instrument or does a particular type of work: a linguist (=someone who studies or learns languages) | a novelist (=someone who writes novels) | a guitarist (=someone who plays the guitar) | a machinist (=someone who operates a machine)

—see also ­ologist

4 (in adjectives) treating people unfairly because of something: a very sexist remark (=making unfair differences between men and women)

5 (in nouns) someone who treats people unfairly because of something: They're a bunch of racists.