Etymology
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obscurantist (n.)

"one who opposes the progress of intellectual enlightenment," 1827; see obscurantism + -ist. As an adjective by 1841.

Entries linking to obscurantist

obscurantism (n.)

"opposition to the advancement and diffusion of knowledge, a desire to prevent inquiry or enlightenment," 1801, from German obscurantism, obscurantismus (by 1798); see obscurant + -ism.

-ist 
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.

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Definitions of obscurantist

obscurantist (n.)
a person who is deliberately vague;
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near obscurantist

obreption

obscene

obscenity

obscurant

obscurantism

obscurantist

obscuration

obscure

obscurity

obsecration

obsequies

© 2001-2022 Douglas Harper