[1555–65; ‹ MF déiste ‹ L de(us) god + F -iste-ist]This word is first recorded in the period 1555–65. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: corona, halo, incompatible, probe, straddle-ist is a suffix of nouns, often corresponding to verbs ending in -ize or nouns ending in -ism, that denote a person who practices or is concerned with something, or holds certainprinciples, doctrines, etc. Other words that use the affix -ist include: Thomist, apologist, dramatist, realist, socialist