Modernists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of artists, writers, and thinkers who advocate for innovative approaches and break from traditional styles in the early 20th century
2. Individuals who support modernism, focusing on contemporary themes and techniques in their creative work
3. Proponents of a cultural movement emphasizing new ideas, forms, and perspectives in art, literature, and philosophy

Etymology: The word "modernists" is simply the plural of "modernist," and the meaning given here, modern art supporters, is a narrower sense than the word usually carries. Its core is the adjective "modern," which English took from Late Latin "modernus," itself built from "modo," meaning "just now" or "recently." Attaching the suffix "-ist," which marks a person who adheres to or practises something, produced a word for a follower of the new. The suffix has a long road behind it. It descends from Greek forms ending in "-istēs," passed into Latin as "-ista," then into Old French as "-iste," and finally reached Middle English as "-ist." English speakers then applied it freely to their own bases, so "modernist" was assembled from familiar parts rather than borrowed whole.

Synonyms: progressives, avant-gardists

Antonyms: traditionalists