colonialist (n.)

"pertaining to or belonging to a colony," 1756, from Latin colonia (see colony) + -al (1), or directly from colony on model of baronoinal. In U.S., especially "from or characteristic of America during colonial times" (1776). The noun meaning "inhabitant of a colony, a colonist" is recorded from 1816.

word-forming element meaning "one who does or makes," also used to indicate adherence to a certain doctrine or custom, from French -iste and directly from Latin -ista (source also of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian -ista), from Greek agent-noun ending -istes, which is from -is-, ending of the stem of verbs in -izein, + agential suffix -tes.

Variant -ister (as in chorister, barrister) is from Old French -istre, on false analogy of ministre. Variant -ista is from Spanish, popularized in American English 1970s by names of Latin-American revolutionary movements.

1701, "colonizer, member of a colonizing expedition," from colony + -ist. Meaning "inhabitant of a colony" is from 1749.