What does romanticist mean?
A romanticist is someone whose thinking is shaped by strong feelings, imagination, idealism, or a belief in the power of love and beauty. The word is often used affectionately or critically for a person who acts on an idealized view of life and may be impractical in the face of practical concerns. In cultural and historical contexts, romanticist can refer more specifically to an artist, writer, composer, or thinker associated with Romanticism, the influential movement that emphasized emotion, individuality, nature, and imagination. The term is therefore both personal and historical: it can describe someone who approaches experience through romance, or someone working within a defined artistic tradition. Unlike romantic, which can describe a person only in an informal sense, romanticist more clearly identifies an individual associated with romantic ideals or Romanticism.
nounA person who is deeply influenced by romantic emotions, ideals, or imagery. In art and intellectual history, the term can refer specifically to an advocate or practitioner of Romanticism.
- A person whose outlook is guided by romantic feelings, ideals, or an idealized view of life.
- An artist, writer, composer, or intellectual associated with the Romantic movement.
"The novel's young romanticist believed that passion could transcend the conventions of society."
"He remained an incurable romanticist, defending the older traditions against industrial change."
"The exhibition presents the Romanticist fascination with dramatic landscapes and emotional intensity."
The plural is used for multiple people associated with romantic ideals or with the Romantic movement.
"The young romanticists challenged the strict conventions of the previous generation."
Romanticists gave the world some of its most enduring art by treating emotion, imagination, and nature as forces more powerful than strict reason.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does romanticist come from?
Romanticist was formed in the early nineteenth century from romantic, meaning strongly emotional or idealistic, together with the suffix -ist, denoting a person who advocates or practices something. Its development coincided with the rise of Romanticism in European literature, art, music, and philosophy. The related word romanticism had already emerged in English by the late eighteenth century, while the cognate Romance forms stem from the Latin concept of Rome, though romanticist itself does not directly preserve that older sense.
How romanticist is actually used
In general use, romanticist often carries a mildly critical or affectionate suggestion of impracticality. In discussions of art and literature, the capitalized form may identify a participant in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Romantic movement.
Easily confused with romanticist
A romanticist is a person, whereas romantic is primarily an adjective describing emotional or idealistic qualities and can also name a person informally.
Romanticism is the artistic and intellectual movement, while a romanticist is an individual associated with it.