leftist

or Left·ist

[lef-tist]

See more synonyms for leftist on Thesaurus.com

noun

a member of the political Left or a person sympathetic to its views.

adjective

of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or advocated by the political Left.

Origin of leftist

First recorded in 1920–25; left¹ + -ist

Related formsleft·ism, nounan·ti·left·ist, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for leftist

Contemporary Examples

A ceasefire by leftist rebels in Colombia could close the last one.
Did The U.S.-Cuba Deal Help Drive A Rebel Ceasefire in Colombia?
Richard McColl
December 18, 2014
And then, if Pope Francis is still with us, we may well see the leftist saints come marching in.
Why Pope Francis Wants to Declare Murdered Archbishop Romero a Saint
Christopher Dickey
August 24, 2014
If modernism was going to be acceptable, its leftist leanings had to be gotten rid of.
How Jews Created American Modernism
Andrew Romano
August 1, 2014
It stands, in short, for everything a leftist should detest.
Meet Stephen F. Cohen, Vladimir Putin's Best Friend in the American Media
Cathy Young
March 16, 2014
The only way to get a leftist government is to simply get the rightist government, and especially Bibi Netanyahu, out.
What’s Different at J Street This Year?
Brent E. Sasley
September 30, 2013

Historical Examples

I have in mind—was this in your opinion a rightist plot, a leftist plot, an anarchist plot?
Warren Commission (1 of 26): Hearings Vol. I (of 15)
The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
Gramsci, the Sardinian leftist philosopher, suggested the need for a language of the proletariat.
The Civilization of Illiteracy
Mihai Nadin
Ray has always had the propaganda that he is a leftist and that he is Castro without Castro.
Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)
The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy

British Dictionary definitions for leftist

leftist

adjective

of, tending towards, or relating to the political left or its principles

noun

a person who supports or belongs to the political left

Derived Formsleftism, noun

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

Word Origin and History for leftist

adj.

1897, from left (adj.) in the political sense + -ist.

leftist in Culture

leftist

One who holds a left-wing viewpoint; someone who seeks radical social and economic change in the direction of greater equality.

leftist

or Left·ist

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}leftist

Examples from the Web for leftist

Contemporary Examples

A ceasefire by leftist rebels in Colombia could close the last one.

And then, if Pope Francis is still with us, we may well see the leftist saints come marching in.

If modernism was going to be acceptable, its leftist leanings had to be gotten rid of.

It stands, in short, for everything a leftist should detest.

The only way to get a leftist government is to simply get the rightist government, and especially Bibi Netanyahu, out.

Historical Examples

I have in mind—was this in your opinion a rightist plot, a leftist plot, an anarchist plot?

Gramsci, the Sardinian leftist philosopher, suggested the need for a language of the proletariat.

Ray has always had the propaganda that he is a leftist and that he is Castro without Castro.

leftist

Word Origin and History for leftist

adj.

leftist

Origin of leftist