Acmeist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who supports or emphasizes the highest pinnacle of accomplishment in art or thought
2. An advocate for achieving the utmost level of excellence in cultural or intellectual endeavors
3. Someone who champions the pursuit of the highest level of excellence in creative or intellectual work

Etymology: Acmeism was a Russian poetry movement that emerged around 1911 in St Petersburg, and the name comes from the Greek "akme," meaning "the highest point" or "peak." Its leading figures, Nikolai Gumilyov and Sergei Gorodetsky, founded the Guild of Poets and positioned their work against the vague mysticism of the Symbolists, favouring clear images, precise craftsmanship and concrete detail. The word "acmeist" names a follower of that movement, which is why its meaning now reaches beyond Russian verse to anyone devoted to peak excellence in art or thought. Anna Akhmatova, who became one of the movement's best-known poets, is often linked with the group, though the word "acmeist" itself stays tied to the 1910s circle that gave the movement its name.