supporter | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

29 entries found.

early 15c., "adherent, partisan," agent noun from support (v.). Meaning "that which supports" is from 1590s.

"supporter of a colonial system," by 1850, from colonial + -ist; compare colonist.

"supporter or adherent of a sovereign" (especially in times of civil war), "a monarchist," 1640s, from royal + -ist. In England, a partisan of Charles I and II during the Civil War; in the U.S., an adherent of British government during the Revolution; in France, a supporter of the Bourbons.

backer (n.)

"supporter, one who aids and abets," 1580s, agent noun from back (v.).

extremist (n.)

"one who goes to extremes, a supporter of extreme doctrines," 1840, from extreme + -ist.

loyalist (n.)

"partisan supporter of an existing or recent government," 1680s, from loyal (adj.) + -ist. Loyolists are followers of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits.

revolutionist (n.)

"an advocate of or participant in revolution," 1710; see revolution + -ist. A supporter of the English Revolution of 1688 might be a revolutioner (1690s).

statist (n.)

1580s, "statesman;" 1803, "statistician;" 1976 as "supporter of statism;" 1960 as an adjective in this sense; from state (n.2) + -ist.

legitimist (n.)

1841, from French légitimiste (1830), from légitime "legitimate," from legitimer (see legitimate (adj.)). A supporter of "legitimate" authority, in France, after 1830, especially of supporters of the elder Bourbon line (in opposition to that of the Orleans family).

parliamentarian (n.)

1640s as a designation of one of the sides in the English Civil War (a partisan or supporter of Parliament as opposed to the King); meaning "one versed in parliamentary procedure" dates from 1834. See parliamentary + -ian.

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