fi·nal·ist I. \-ələ̇st\noun (-s) Etymology: French finaliste, from final + -iste -ist 1.: a believer in or advocate of finalism 2.: any of the contestants who meet in the final round of a competition II. adjective orfi·nal·is·tic\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|istik\ : teleological