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

Vikash Yadav, 39, was charged with directing the plot to murder a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, last year. —Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024

Advertisement Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and police officials went public this week with allegations that Indian diplomats were targeting Sikh separatists in Canada by sharing information about them with their government back home. —Ashok Sharma, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, in a major deterioration of relations between the two countries. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2024

Campaigning for the creation of Khalistan has long been outlawed in India, where painful memories of a deadly insurgency by some Sikh separatists continue to haunt many. —Hanna Ziady, CNN, 14 Oct. 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