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 (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  
/ ˈklæsɪkəlɪst, 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

  • anticlassicalist noun
  • anticlassicist noun
  • classicistic adjective

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.

Kathleen Coleman, renowned Harvard classicist, points to the words of the Roman poet Martial, who makes reference to Mars and Venus both in armor and women in the arena.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

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

"Edison Denisov was a classicist with very subtle yet strict logic. Alfred Schnittke was a romantic. My style could be best described as archaic."

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2025

His papers at the University of Illinois — he was a classicist there — have yet to be processed.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2024

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