Nonactivist

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Not taking part in organized political or social campaigning, such as protests, lobbying or advocacy for change
2. Describing someone who does not work actively to promote a cause or push for social or political reform
3. Lacking involvement in campaigns for change, remaining passive rather than striving to bring about a social goal

Etymology: "Nonactivist" is a straightforward formation: the prefix "non-," meaning "not," attached to "activist." It is built the same way as many other English words that negate an existing term, such as "nonstop" or "nonpartisan," so there is no hidden history to uncover. The prefix comes from Latin "non," meaning "not," and was used freely in English to create negated forms of nouns and adjectives. The base word, "activist," is the more interesting part. It derives from "active," which passed into English through Old French from Medieval Latin "activus," and the agent suffix "-ist" then turned the adjective into a noun for a person who engages in vigorous, often political, campaigning. The compound therefore describes someone who is not one of those campaigners, that is, someone who holds back from taking deliberate action on a cause.

Antonyms: activist