Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

classicist

American  
[klas-uh-sist] / ˈklæs ə sɪst /
Also classicalist

noun

  1. an adherent of classicism in literature or art (contrasted with romanticist).

  2. an authority on the classics; a classical scholar.

  3. a person who advocates study of the ancient Greek and Roman classics.


classicist British  
/ ˈklæsɪsɪst /

noun

    1. a student of ancient Latin and Greek

    2. a person who advocates the study of ancient Latin and Greek

  1. an adherent of classicism in literature or art

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of classicist

First recorded in 1820–30; classic + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Days after a classicist who translated Homer’s “The Odyssey” in 2017 eviscerated the Christopher Nolan film based on the poem, Joyce Carol Oates has entered the debate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

A 2017 translation by British-American classicist Emily Wilson of the millennia-old mythological tale has been flying off the shelves at a similarly increased rate.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Ms. Kuin, a classicist at the University of Virginia, presents many of them in “Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

The experience apparently alienated McClery, who found the righteous path under the tutelage of the classicist Allan Greenberg, the only designer born in the 20th century that McClery counts among his influences.

From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2025

The honor of that fell to Edward Everett, a distinguished classicist then regarded as one of the greatest orators America had ever seen—now, all but forgotten.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training