Asianist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An individual who specializes in the study of Asian cultures, languages, or societies
2. A scholar or expert focusing on aspects of Asia and its diverse peoples
3. Someone engaged in research or teaching related to the histories, politics, or arts of Asian regions

Etymology: "Asianist" is a plain formation: the adjective "Asian" with the suffix "-ist," which turns a word into a term for a person who practises or studies something. The pattern is the same as "Africanist," "Latinist," or "Hellenist," in which a regional or cultural adjective becomes the name of a specialist in that field. The suffix "-ist" comes from Greek "-istēs," which denoted a doer or practitioner, and it reached English through Latin and French. Attaching it to "Asian" follows the common English habit of naming scholars after their area of study, so an asianist is someone whose work concerns the histories, politics, or arts of Asian regions. The word has no sharp shift in meaning; its interest lies mainly in how transparently it is built.

Synonyms: Asian specialist, Orientalist, Asian scholar, Asian expert, Asian studies expert