Zinesters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who create and distribute self-published magazines or booklets
2. People who engage in the practice of producing independent, often non-commercial publications, showcasing personal expressions or art
3. Enthusiasts involved in crafting and sharing zines, which are typically focused on niche topics and alternative viewpoints

Etymology: "Zinesters" is the plural of "zinester," a formation built from "zine" plus the suffix "-ster." The clipped word "zine" is itself a shortening of "fanzine," a blend of "fan" and "magazine," so the chain of words runs from fan culture to the amateur publishing that now bears its name. The suffix "-ster" has a long pedigree in English. It descends from Proto-West Germanic "*-astrijā" through Old English "-estre," which marked a female worker or agent, and Middle English "-estere." Over time it lost its feminine association and became a general marker of a person who does or is associated with something, as in "songster" or "prankster." Attaching "-ster" to "zine" therefore produces a plain, transparent name for the people who make these publications, one whose ancestry traces back through Anglo-Saxon speech rather than classical Latin or Greek.

Synonyms: zine creators, self-publishers