Where does “Mayanist” come from?

Mayanist (English) comes from English Mayan, from English Maya, from English Maia, from Latin Maia, from Ancient Greek μαῖα, from Ancient Greek μήτηρ, from Proto-Hellenic mā́tēr, from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr — mother.

Mayanist (English): One who studies the pre-Columbian Maya

Definitions

  1. One who studies the pre-Columbian Maya

Ancestry of “Mayanist”, step by step

Mayanist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Mayan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMayanOf or relating to the Maya people of Central...
2EnglishMayaA member or descendant of various peoples
3EnglishMaiaDaughter of Atlas and mother of Hermes
4LatinMaianominative feminine singular of Maius; nominative...
5Ancient Greekμαῖαmidwife; foster mother, nurse; good mother, dame
6Ancient Greekμήτηρmother; source or origin
7Proto-Hellenicmā́tērmother
8Proto-Indo-Europeanméh₂tērmother

via English ist

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishistA practitioner or supporter of an ism
2English-istAdded to words to form nouns denoting
3Old French-iste
4Latin-ista-ist; one who practises or believes
5Ancient Greek-ιστήςAlternative form of -τής; -ist
6Ancient Greek-τήςAppended to verbs to form agent nouns
7Proto-Hellenic-tās
Every word from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr