futurist

the word 'futurist' is a modern english formation built upon the latin root 'futurus', the future participle of the verb 'esse' (to be), which inherently carries the sense of 'that which is to come'. this root was adopted into english via old french 'futur'. the suffix '-ist', of greek origin but thoroughly latinized, is a prolific agent-noun ending. when combined, the term literally constructs 'one concerned with the future'. initially coined in the early 20th century to describe proponents of the futurist art movement—which sought to break from the past and glorify speed, technology, and the future—its meaning expanded in the mid-20th century to more broadly denote anyone who systematically studies and forecasts future societal and technological developments.

Structure: futur (future) + ist (person who practices) futur (from latin 'futurus', meaning 'about to be', serving as the core noun/adjective root); ist (from greek '-istes', via latin '-ista', a suffix forming agent nouns indicating a person who practices or is concerned with something)