Emblemists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who creates or interprets symbols and emblems within art or literature
2. An individual who specializes in the study and usage of emblems for conveying meanings or messages
3. Someone engaged in the artistic practice of designing and analyzing symbolic representations to communicate ideas

Etymology: "Emblemists" is the plural of "emblemist," which is formed by adding the suffix "-ist" to "emblem." The base word "emblem" comes from Latin "emblema," borrowed from Greek "emblēma," literally something "put on" or "inserted," from "emballein," to throw in. The suffix "-ist" marks a person who practises or specialises in something, as in "artist" or "botanist," so an emblemist is one who works with emblems. The plural form simply pairs this agent noun with the regular English "-s" ending, so it refers to several such specialists at once. Its meaning follows directly from the components, with no separate history of its own.

Synonyms: artists, designers, symbolists, illustrators, creators