abolitionist
/ˌæbəˈlɪʃənɪst/
noun
Origin
Latin
abolitio — an annulment, a destruction
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person who favors the abolition of a practice or institution, especially capital punishment or (historically) slavery.
Literal older meaning
one who does away with or puts an end to
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
abolitioniste
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
While the term originally referred to the legal annulment of judicial processes, it became globally synonymous in the 18th and 19th centuries with the movement to end the transatlantic slave trade and the institution of slavery.
Evolution
- Latin
abolere
“to destroy, to efface”
Base verb of the etymon
- Latin
abolitio
“the act of abolishing”
- Middle French
abolition
“legal annulment”
- English, 17th century
abolition
“the act of ending a law or practice”
Formed with agentive suffix -ist
Connections
Word parts
abolition
stem
the act of ending
-ist
suffix
one who practices or supports
Related across languages
French
abolitionniste
abolitionist
Spanish
abolicionista
abolitionist
Explore next
Related to abolitionist
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.