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traditionalist

traditionalist

20 5.6
A person who holds strongly to old customs and resists change
  • noun
  • /trəˈdɪʃənəlɪst/
translation icon : tradicionalista
  • My own sympathies in this debate are with the traditionalists, but not primarily for the reasons that they usually advance.
  • traditionalists argue
  • traditionalists vs. modernists
  • traditionalists or conservatives

She was one of the so-called traditionalists who moved away from Olda Rybi to resettle the traditionalists to different areas on the Mesa.

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Examples

  • You're such a traditionalist.

  • Many traditionalists believe that certain customs should never change.

  • Harry was pretty much a traditionalist right to the end.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • In her old age, his mother had turned into a traditionalist.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I'm more of a traditionalist.

  • You've always been such a traditionalist.

  • Harry was an awfully bright man, even if he was a traditionalist.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • On the other hand, the traditionalists argue against whole language proponents.

    Academic text (1995)
  • For their part, traditionalists used the 1993 flag dispute as a marketing tool for recruiting new members.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Yet even traditionalists are divided over the appropriate interpretation of the Confederate battle emblem.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

conservative
vstraditionalist
306 4.4

A person who does not want big changes and likes traditional values

supports traditional ideas and customs across life, not only politics
diehard
vstraditionalist
19 6.8

A person who stays loyal to a belief, group, or team and refuses to change

holds traditional beliefs but not necessarily extreme loyalty to one cause
old fogey
vstraditionalist
  • Offensive
2 8.2

A person who prefers old ways and does not like change

supports tradition seriously rather than merely appearing outdated or quaint
revivalist
vstraditionalist
1 6.8

A person who brings back old styles and traditions like music and clothing

supports traditional customs but may not focus on actively restoring them
archconservative
vstraditionalist
1 9.2

A person with very traditional political views who strongly opposes change

is traditional too but not always as extreme in position
old stick
vstraditionalist
  • Offensive
1 9.6

A person who prefers the usual way of doing things and does not accept new ideas

is a committed supporter of traditions rather than just an old appearance
conservativist
vstraditionalist
8.5

A person who does not like change and new ideas

is similar but frames this as general support for tradition
conventionalist
vstraditionalist
8.2

A person who prefers traditional ways and customs

is more about actively supporting traditional beliefs, not just habits
establishmentarian
vstraditionalist
  • Formal
9.4

A person who supports existing institutions and the current social or political order

focuses more broadly on tradition and customs than institutional defence
antimodernist
vstraditionalist
8.8

A person who does not support modern ideas, values, or styles

resists change but may not always reject modern ideas completely
antimodern
vstraditionalist
8.2

A person who opposes modern ideas and prefers traditional ways

is about supporting tradition generally rather than a stated anti modern stance
antireform
vstraditionalist
7.2

A person who opposes changes in politics or society

opposes change too but in a wider cultural and value sense
neotraditionalist
vstraditionalist
8.5

A person who wants to bring back old ways in a modern setting

supports tradition continuously rather than seeking a modern revival of past forms

Antonyms

100 3.5

A person who works to make society or its institutions better

38 4.3

A person who creates new ideas or ways of doing things

How Traditional

reactionary
8 8.6
traditionalist
20 5.6
conservative
4.6
moderate
85 4.6
progressive
251 4.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

traditionalist = traditional (transparent) = tradition + al + ist

The noun is derived by adding the productive agent/ideology suffix '-ist' to the adjective 'traditional', which is itself 'tradition' + '-al'.

Etymology

A traditionalist is built from tradition and the ending -ist, and tradition comes from Latin tradere meaning 'to hand over'. So a traditionalist is a person who keeps and follows customs that were 'handed down' and often opposes new ideas.