a suffix of adjectives (and in the plural, of nouns from adjectives) formed from nouns ending in -ist and having reference to such nouns, or to associated nouns in -ism ( deistic; euphuistic; puristic ). In nouns, it usually has a plural form ( linguistics ). Cf. -ist, -ic, -ics .
[ -isticus -istikos; in some words, r. -istique ]