medalist

[med-l-ist]

noun

a person to whom a medal has been awarded.
(in a golf tournament) the player having the lowest score in a qualifying round scored by strokes.
a designer, engraver, or maker of medals.

Also especially British, med·al·list.

Origin of medalist

1965–70; < French médailliste < Italian medaglista. See medal, -ist

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

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Charles Combe died; an eminent English physician and critic, and highly distinguished as a medalist.
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Benedetto Pistrucci, medalist to the queen of England, died at Windsor, aged 73.
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John Foy Vaillant, a celebrated French physician, medalist and traveler, died.
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William Wyon, a celebrated British medalist and die sinker, died at Brighton, aged 57.
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1680s, "one skilled in medals," from medal (n.) + -ist. Meaning "medal-maker" is from 1756; that of "recipient of a medal" is from 1797.