Etymology
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socialist (n.)

"one who advocates socialism," 1827, from French socialiste, or else a native formation based on it, in reference to the teachings of Comte de Saint-Simon, founder of French socialism. The word begins to be used in French in the modern sense c. 1835. Socialista, with a different sense, was applied 18c. to followers and pupils of Dutch jurist Grotius (1583-1645), from his use of socialistus. Socialist realism, the Soviet Union's official theory of art and literature (in which all reality was development toward socialism), is attested from 1934.

Prison is a Socialist's Paradise, where equality prevails, everything is supplied and competition is eliminated. [Elbert Hubbard, "The Note Book," 1927]

Compare socialism.

also from 1827

Entries linking to socialist

socialism (n.)

in reference to theories or systems that substitute cooperative action and community possession of means of production in place of competition based on individual effort, 1837, from French socialisme (1832) or formed in English (based on socialist) from social (adj.) + -ism. Perhaps first in reference to Robert Owen's communes. "Pierre Leroux (1797-1871), idealistic social reformer and Saint-Simonian publicist, expressly claims to be the originator of the word socialisme" [Klein, also see OED discussion]. The French word began to be used in this sense c. 1835.

I find that socialism is often misunderstood by its least intelligent supporters and opponents to mean simply unrestrained indulgence of our natural propensity to heave bricks at respectable persons. [George Bernard Shaw, "An Unsocial Socialist," 1900]
anti-socialist (adj.)

also antisocialist, 1841, "opposed to socialism;" see anti- + socialist.

socialistic (adj.)

"of, pertaining to, or characteristic of socialism; in accordance with the theories of socialism," 1839, from socialist + -ic. Related: Socialistically.

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Trends of socialist

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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updated on February 17, 2023

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Dictionary entries near socialist

sociability

sociable

social

socialisation

socialism

socialist

socialistic

socialite

sociality

socialization

socialize