"one who advocates a doctrine of direct action" in any sense, 1915; from active + -ist. Originally in reference to a political movement in Sweden advocating abandonment of neutrality in World War I and active support for the Central Powers. The word was used earlier in philosophy (1907).
"absence of accepted social values," 1915, in reference to Durkheim, who gave the word its modern meaning in social theory in French; a reborrowing with French spelling of anomy.
in reference to a return to simpler ways of living, without modern electricity, manufacturing, conveniences, etc., 1915, from the adverbial phrase; see nature (n.).
"one who throws bombs," 1915, agent noun from bomb (v.). Used in the U.S. Civil War (1863) in reference to mortar-mounted flat-bottomed river-boats in the Vicksburg campaign. As a type of military aircraft, from 1917.
1915, "one who writes serially for publication in a newspaper or magazine," from column in the newspaper sense + -ist.
The successful Columnist puts his own personality into his column. It is not a case of impersonal jesting and the heaping up of cold, blue-lit diamonds of wit. The reader likes the column because it reveals a daily insight into another man's soul—and he finds this other soul likeable. [C.L. Edson, "The Gentle Art of Columning," 1920]
1915, from con-, assimilated form of Latin com "with, together" (see com-) + urbs "city" (see urban (adj.)) + noun ending -ation. Coined by Scottish biologist and urban planner Patrick Geddes in "Cities in Evolution."
