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
colonist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English colony
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | colony | A governmental unit created on land of another... |
| 2 | Middle English | colane | — |
via German Kolonist
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Kolonist | — |