Where does “colonist” come from?
Colonist derives from English colony plus Latin -ista, from Ancient Greek -ιστής, ultimately from Latin colo meaning to inhabit or cultivate, traced to Proto-Indo-European kʷel-.
colonist (English): A founder of a colony; A member of a colony
Definitions
- A founder of a colony; A member of a colony
Ancestry of “colonist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -ist | Added to words to form nouns denoting |
| 2 | Old French | -iste | — |
| 3 | Latin | -ista | -ist; one who practises or believes |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ιστής | Alternative form of -τής; -ist |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -τής | Appended to verbs to form agent nouns |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | -tās | — |