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-ista

Portuguese, suffix/ˈis.tɐ/

-ista is spelled I-S-T-A (4 letters). -ista is a Portuguese feminine suffix meaning “-ist (person with a particular creative or academic role), appended to the name of this role, or its corresponding adjective” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário) defines it as “que segue um princípio”.

What does -ista mean in English?

suffix

  1. 1

    femininemasculine-ist (person with a particular creative or academic role), appended to the name of this role, or its corresponding adjective

    ambiental (“environmental”) + -ista → ambientalista (“environmentalist”)

  2. 2

    femininemasculine-ist; -man (person who uses or works with a particular tool, instrument or technique), appended to the name of the tool

    flauta (“flute”) + -ista → flautista (“flautist”)

  3. 3

    femininemasculine-ist (one who follows a particular doctrine), appended to the etymon of the doctrine’s name

    Calvino (“(John) Calvin”) + -ista → calvinista (“Calvinist”)

  4. 4

    Brazilfemininemasculinesomeone from a location

    Norte (“North region of Brazil”) + -ista → nortista (“someone from the North”)

  5. 5

    femininemasculinea supporter of a sports team

    Grêmio (“Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense”) + -ista → gremista (“a supporter of Grêmio”)

suffix

  1. 1

    femininemasculine-istic, -ist (of or relating to a particular doctrine), appended to the etymon of the doctrine’s name

    Marx (“(Karl) Marx”) + -ista → marxista (“Marxist, relating to Marxism”)

  2. 2

    Brazilfemininemasculineof or relating to a location

    Norte (“North region of Brazil”) + -ista → nortista (“of or relating to the North”)

Source: English Wiktionary, Portuguese section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How Portuguese dictionaries define it

suffix: 1. que segue um princípio 2. que é estudioso ou profissional de um assunto 3. que usa algo 4. que tem uma visão preconceituosa

The definition in the Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário), in Portuguese.

Source: Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.

How do you pronounce -ista?

  • Brazil /ˈis.tɐ/
  • /ˈiʃ.tɐ/
  • Portugal /ˈiʃ.tɐ/

Sources: English Wiktionary, Portuguese Wiktionary (Wikcionário) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026); recordings from Wikimedia Commons.

English words that translate to -ista

Source: the translation tables of the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026.

What to look up after -ista