separatist

American  

[sep-er-uh-tist, -uh-rey-] / ˈsɛp ər ə tɪst, -əˌreɪ- /

noun

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

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

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adjective

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

   separatist forces;

   separatist tendencies.

separatist ¹ British  

/ ˈsɛpərətɪst, ˈsɛprə- /

noun

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

   2. ( as modifier )

      a separatist movement

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Separatist ² British  

/ ˈsɛprə-, ˈsɛpərətɪst /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of separatist

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

Example Sentences

He noted that Nigerian forces are also stretched thin, attending to southeastern separatists, armed "banditry" in the northwest and farmer-herder conflicts in central states.

From Barron's

King Charles has "expressed his concern" over the Alberta separatist movement in a meeting with Indigenous leaders at Buckingham Palace, according to a delegation of First Nations chiefs that travelled to London.

From BBC

Such policies have manifested differently across China, with harsher tactics applied in areas seen as riven with separatist sentiment.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tehran has also historically been wary of separatist sentiment among the around 10 million ethnic Azeris living in Iran.

From Barron's

Pakistan has long worried that Baloch in eastern Iran might launch attacks on its territory to strengthen a Baloch separatist movement there.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dissident
• protester
• rebel