separatist

noun

sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈse-p(ə-)rə-tist 

ˈse-pə-ˌrā-

: one that favors separatism: such as

a

capitalized : one of a group of 16th and 17th century English Protestants preferring to separate from rather than to reform the Church of England

b

: an advocate of independence or autonomy for a part of a political unit (such as a nation)

c

: an advocate of racial or cultural separation

separatist adjective

separatistic

ˌse-p(ə-)rə-ˈti-stik 

adjective

Examples of separatist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Taiwan’s government raised its travel warning for China this week, telling people not to go unless absolutely necessary after China announced legal guidelines threatening prosecution and in extreme cases the death penalty for Taiwan independence separatists. —Reuters, NBC News, 29 June 2024

An Indian man accused of scheming to assassinate a prominent Sikh separatist in New York City has been extradited to the U.S., officials announced Monday. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 17 June 2024

In 2014, Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea region on the Black Sea and backed separatists in Donbas, a vast eastern industrial heartlands area dotted with factories and coal plants. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 16 May 2024

Turkey, a sometimes problematic ally that had initially balked at letting Sweden into NATO because of quarrels over the latter’s dealings with Kurdish separatists, dropped its opposition. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing separatist

• anti-separatist

Kids Definition

separatist

noun

sep·​a·​rat·​ist ˈsep(-ə)-rət-əst 

: a person who favors separation (as from a church or party)

separatism

-rə-ˌtiz-əm

noun

separatist adjective