feminist

The word 'feminist' is a modern construction built upon classical components. Its core, 'femin-', derives from the Latin femina, meaning "woman," which itself traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂, related to the act of suckling or nurturing. The suffix '-ist', entering English via Latin from Greek -istēs, denotes an agent or follower of a specific practice or ideology. Coined in the late 19th century, 'feminist' logically combines these elements to literally mean "a supporter of women," directly encapsulating the modern abstract concept of advocating for women's rights and equality.

Structure: femin (woman) + ist (supporter of) - femin: From Latin femina (woman). Serves as the core root denoting the concept of woman/female. - ist: From Greek -istēs (agent suffix), via Latin -ista. Serves as a noun-forming suffix denoting an adherent to a doctrine or practitioner of an activity.