Skip to content

-ist

ɪst

-ist is a person standing in one place

The picture A person stands squarely in front of one field with a name badge, and does not leave that spot. -ist is a person standing in a field they learned; -er is whoever or whatever takes the action on.

Prefixes and suffixes

Where the picture shows up in -ist

  1. standing in front of teeth

    You need a dentist for that tooth.

    juː niːd ə ˈdentɪst fɔːr ðæt tuːθ

    You'll have to see a tooth doctor.

    A person leans right up to an open mouth with a small mirror and a pick.

    dent (tooth) + -ist.

  2. standing in front of medicine

    Ask the pharmacist about this pill.

    æsk ðə ˈfɑːrməsɪst əˈbaʊt ðɪs pɪl

    Ask the chemist about this pill.

    In a room walled with drug drawers, someone in a white coat stands at the counter.

    pharmacy (medicine) + -ist.

  3. standing at the front desk

    The receptionist will call your name.

    ðə rɪˈsepʃənɪst wɪl kɔːl jʊr neɪm

    The front desk will call your name.

    Right by the door, a person stands at a desk checking the name of everyone who walks in.

    reception + -ist.

  4. standing in front of pictures

    My sister is an artist.

    maɪ ˈsɪstər ɪz ən ˈɑːrtɪst

    My older sister paints.

    With paint on both hands, a person stands in front of a canvas all day long.

    art (skill) + -ist.

  5. standing in front of one thing only

    The doctor sent me to a specialist.

    ðə ˈdɑːktər sent miː tuː ə ˈspeʃəlɪst

    The doctor sent me on to a consultant.

    Of many clinic doors, people queue at just one, and inside sits someone who looks at one thing only.

    special (one thing) + -ist.

All of it in one picture

-ist is one person standing in one place. Stand in front of teeth and you are a dentist; stand in front of medicine and you are a pharmacist. Stand at the front desk and you are a receptionist, stand in front of pictures and you are an artist, dig into one thing only and stand in front of it and you are a specialist. So with any -ist word, just ask which spot this person is standing in.

Next

See all English core images