I. -shən ə lə̇st, -shnəl- noun
( -s )
Etymology: national (I) + -ist
1. : an advocate of or believer in nationalism
a true nationalist places his country above everything — C.J.H.Hayes
has gone through evolution as a cultural nationalist and today is a cultural chauvinist — J.T.Farrell
2. usually capitalized : a member of a political group usually associated with advocacy of national independence or the creation and development of a strong national government: as
a. : a member of a British political party advocating the independence of Ireland and constituting an important element in the House of Commons until the establishment of Irish independence
b. : a member of a political party in the Union of So. Africa characterized chiefly by strong Afrikaner nationalism
c. : a member of an Australian political party evolving from groups opposed to the Labour party and later becoming part of the Liberal party
II. adjective
1. : of, relating to, or advocating nationalism
the nationalist aspirations of the Korean people — Homer Bigart
an alleged nationalist orthodoxy … seeking to control the schools — Living Church
2. usually capitalized : of, relating to, or being a political group advocating or associated with nationalism
the Turkish Nationalist forces attack the sultan's troops — Literary Digest