separatist

[sep-er-uh-tist, -uh-rey-]

noun

1. a person who separates, withdraws, or secedes, as from an established church.

2. an advocate of separation, especially ecclesiastical or political separation.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating separatism or separatists.

   separatist forces;

   separatist tendencies.

separatist

¹

/ ˈsɛpərətɪst, ˈsɛprə- /

noun

1. 1. a person who advocates or practises secession from an organization or group

   2. ( as modifier )

      a separatist movement

Separatist

²

/ ˈsɛprə-, ˈsɛpərətɪst /

noun

1. (sometimes not capital) a person who advocates the secession of a province, esp Quebec, from Canada

Other Word Forms

• separatism noun
• antiseparatist noun
• separatistic adjective
• Separatism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of separatist¹

First recorded in 1600–10; separate (adjective) + -ist

Example Sentences

The professor has in mind, among other things, Mr. Sanchez’s willingness to form a coalition government with Communists and Basque and Catalan separatists.

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Less than 20 years before, Montreal lost its status as Canada’s financial center to Toronto when the separatist Parti Quebecois came to power in provincial elections.

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"What signal is the Japanese leader trying to send to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces?" he added.

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The junta had popular support when it took power, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis prompted by a separatist rebellion in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants.

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Another Biafran separatist group has also claimed to have played a key role in promoting the "Christian genocide" narrative in the US Congress.

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Related Words

• dissident 
• protester www.thesaurus.com
• rebel