The -IST Ending: People Who Do Things
Stick -IST on the end of almost anything and you've named a person. ART becomes ARTIST, GUITAR becomes GUITARIST, PIANO becomes PIANIST, COLUMN becomes COLUMNIST. This suffix came from Greek via Latin and French, and it's been one of English's most active word-forming tools for centuries. New -IST words keep appearing: PODCASTER hasn't spawned PODCASTIST yet, but CYCLIST, NOVELIST, PUBLICIST, and THERAPIST all formed through this exact mechanism. The pattern is so productive that English speakers instinctively understand any new -IST word — call someone a "foodist" and everyone knows what you mean, even though it's not in the dictionary.
For word game players, -IST words are a goldmine. The suffix adds three common tiles (I=1, S=1, T=1) for just 3 extra points, but the real payoff is length. Turning ORGAN into ORGANIST or MEDAL into MEDALIST gets you closer to a 7-letter bingo bonus. In crosswords, -IST endings help you work backward from the suffix: if the clue says "one who practices" or "advocate of" and the answer ends in -IST, you just need the root word. DENTIST, FASCIST, CYCLIST, STYLIST — the clue almost always defines the root.
Quick tip: In Scrabble, look for board positions where you can extend an existing word by adding -IST. If TOUR is on the board, TOURIST might fit. If REAL is there, REALIST could work. This extension strategy is especially strong because -IST rarely creates invalid words when added to real roots. For more suffix strategies, check words ending in R for -ER/-OR agents, and browse words starting with P for PIANIST, PUBLICIST, and other P-started -IST words. words ending in M covers the related -ISM suffix.
FAQ
What's the difference between -IST and -ER for naming people?
Both suffixes create agent nouns, but -IST typically implies a specialized practitioner or believer (PIANIST, CYCLIST, COMMUNIST), while -ER is more general and action-based (RUNNER, SINGER, BUILDER). -IST words tend to be more formal and often pair with -ISM (CAPITAL/CAPITALIST/CAPITALISM). For the -ER family, see words ending in R.
What -IST words score highest in Scrabble?
EXORCIST (17 points), LINGUIST (10 points with rare tiles), and HUMORIST (13 points) are strong plays. The key is combining -IST with high-value root letters. QUERIST (one who queries) uses the Q for 16 points. For other suffix-driven scoring, explore words ending in XI where compact high-value endings dominate.
Can you add -IST to any noun?
Not quite, but it's remarkably flexible. The noun usually needs to represent a field, instrument, or ideology: GUITAR→GUITARIST, MARX→MARXIST, MOTOR→MOTORIST. It doesn't work when the root is too concrete or specific (you can't say CHAIRIST or TABLEST). Check words starting with G for GUITARIST, GENETICIST, and other G-rooted -IST words.
Four-Letter Words (8)
CISTFISTGISTHISTKISTLISTMISTWIST
Five-Letter Words (19)
AGISTALISTDEISTEXISTFEISTFOISTGRISTHEISTHOISTJOISTMAISTMOISTNEISTODISTSHISTTWISTWAISTWHISTWRIST
Six-Letter Words (36)
AGEISTAORISTARTISTASSISTAURISTAUTISTBEMISTCUBISTDELISTDESISTEGOISTENLISTHOLISTINSISTJURISTLEGISTLUTISTLYRISTMONISTNUDISTOBOISTPAPISTPURISTRACISTRAPISTRELISTRESISTSADISTSCHISTSEXISTTANISTTHEISTTUBISTTYPISTVERISTVIBIST
Seven-Letter Words (95)
ABLEISTAGONISTALTOISTAMORISTANIMISTATAVISTATHEISTATOMISTBAPTISTBASSISTBIBLISTBUNDISTCAMBISTCASUISTCELLISTCHEMISTCHUTISTCHYMISTCLADISTCOEXISTCONSISTCOPYISTCOSMISTCULTISTCYCLISTCZARISTDADAISTDENTISTDIALISTDIARISTDUALISTDUELISTEGOTISTELEGISTELITISTENTWISTEPEEISTETATISTFADDISTFASCISTFAUVISTFEUDISTFIDEISTFLORISTFLUTISTFUGUISTGNOMISTHARPISTHORNISTHYGEISTHYMNISTIDYLISTIMAGISTINTWISTIRONISTJUDOISTJUJUISTLEFTISTLOOKISTMETRISTMIDLISTNARCISTOCULISTOLOGISTONANISTORALISTPALMISTPERSISTPIANISTPIETISTPLENISTPOLLISTPOLOISTPROTISTQUERISTREALISTRETWISTREVUISTSACRISTSOLOISTSOPHISTSTATISTSTYLISTSUBSISTSUMOISTTACHISTTENNISTTITLISTTOURISTTSARISTTUBAISTTZARISTUNTWISTUTOPISTVIOLIST
Eight-Letter Words (144)
ACTIVISTALARMISTALIENISTALPINISTALTRUISTANNALISTAPHORISTAPIARISTAQUARISTARBALISTARBORISTARCHAISTARSONISTATTICISTAVIARISTBACKLISTBANJOISTBIGAMISTBLURBISTBONGOISTBOTANISTCABALISTCANOEISTCANONISTCENTRISTCERAMISTCHARTISTCLASSISTCOASSISTCOLONISTCOLORISTDEMONISTDEMOTISTDIALLISTDIGAMISTDITHEISTDRUGGISTDUELLISTDUETTISTDYNAMISTESCAPISTESSAYISTETHICISTEUGENISTEULOGISTEUPHUISTEXORCISTFABULISTFATALISTFEMINISTFINALISTFLAUTISTFUTURISTHAGADISTHALAKISTHANDLISTHEDONISTHOBBYISTHOMILISTHUMANISTHUMORISTHYGIEISTIDEALISTIDYLLISTINTIMISTJINGOISTKABALISTLAPIDISTLEGALISTLIBELISTLINGUISTLOBBYISTLOCALISTLOYALISTLUMINISTLUTANISTLUTENISTLYRICISTMEDALISTMELANISTMELODISTMETALISTMODELISTMONODISTMORALISTMOTORISTMURALISTNATIVISTNATURISTNEPOTISTNIELLISTNIHILISTNOVELISTOGHAMISTOOLOGISTOPTICISTOPTIMISTORGANISTPACIFISTPAGANIST
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Nine-Letter Words (176)
ABSURDISTAERIALISTALCHEMISTALLERGISTANALOGISTANARCHISTANATOMISTANIMALISTANIMATISTAPOLOGISTARCHIVISTATONALISTAUTARKISTAUTEURISTAUTOPSISTBALLADISTBIBLICISTBICYCLISTBIOLOGISTBIONOMISTBLACKLISTBRAILLISTCABBALISTCAMORRISTCAREERISTCATECHISTCEMBALISTCHECKLISTCOLLAGISTCOLUMNISTCOMMUNISTCOMPUTISTCORNETISTCRAYONISTCULTURISTCYMBALISTDECLINISTDEFEATISTDENTURISTDETENTISTDIABOLISTDIALOGISTDOGMATISTDRAMATISTECOLOGISTECONOMISTECUMENISTENAMELISTENOLOGISTEPIGENISTEROTICISTEUPHEMISTEUTHENISTEXEGETISTEXONUMISTEXOTICISTEXTREMISTFANTASISTFETISHISTFEUDALISTFISCALISTFLAVORISTFORMALISTFORMULISTFRESCOISTFRONTLISTFUSIONISTGEODESISTGEOLOGISTGLOBALISTGUITARISTHAGGADISTHALACHISTHALAKHISTHARMONISTHERALDISTHERBALISTHERMETISTHYBRIDISTHYGIENISTHYLOZOISTHYMNODISTHYPNOTISTINTERNISTJARGONISTKABBALISTKARATEISTLARCENISTLITURGISTMACHINISTMAMMONISTMANNERISTMARIMBISTMASOCHISTMECHANISTMEDALLISTMELIORISTMEMOIRISTMENTALISTMESMERIST
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Ten-Letter Words (151)
ABIOGENISTABSOLUTISTAERONOMISTAGRONOMISTALGEBRAISTALGOLOGISTALLEGORISTANECDOTISTANTAGONISTANTIRACISTANTISEXISTAUTOMATISTAUTONOMISTBALLOONISTBASSOONISTBELLETRISTBIBLIOTISTBIOCHEMISTBRYOLOGISTCAPITALISTCARTOONISTCENTRALISTCERAMICISTCETOLOGISTCHAUVINISTCLASSICISTCLAVIERISTCOLLOQUISTCONCRETISTCONFORMISTCORNETTISTCYTOLOGISTECOTOURISTEMPIRICISTERGONOMISTETHOLOGISTEUGENICISTEUHEMERISTEVANGELISTEXODONTISTFACTUALISTFEDERALISTFETOLOGISTFICTIONISTFOLKLORISTGEMOLOGISTGENERALISTGENETICISTGEOCHEMISTGESTALTISTGLOSSARISTGRADUALISTGRAFFITISTHENOTHEISTHOROLOGISTIDEOLOGISTILLUMINISTIMMORALISTINTERTWISTJOURNALISTKINETICISTLEGITIMISTLIBERALISTLIBRETTISTLITERALISTMAGAZINISTMANICURISTMAXIMALISTMILITARISTMINIMALISTMISOGAMISTMISOGYNISTMIXOLOGISTMONARCHISTMONETARISTMONOGAMISTMONOLOGISTMONOPOLISTMONOTHEISTMYCOLOGISTNARCISSISTNATURALISTNEGATIVISTNEOREALISTNEUTRALISTNOMINALISTNOSTALGISTOBITUARISTONCOLOGISTONTOLOGISTOPERETTISTORCHARDISTORGANICISTORTHOEPISTPACIFICISTPANEGYRISTPANTYWAISTPASTELLISTPEDIATRISTPEDICURIST
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Eleven-Letter Words (145)
ABORTIONISTACCOMPANISTADOPTIONISTADVENTURISTANESTHETISTANTHOLOGISTANTIELITISTANTIFASCISTANTIREALISTAQUARELLISTAQUATINTISTARTILLERISTAUDIOLOGISTBEHAVIORISTBIMETALLISTBIOETHICISTCHIROPODISTCLARINETISTCLERICALISTCOLONIALISTCOMMUNALISTCOMPARATISTCOMPUTERISTCONSUMERISTCORPORATISTCOSMOGONISTCOSMOLOGISTCREATIONISTDETERMINISTDICHOTOMISTDIPLOMATISTDISUNIONISTDIVISIONISTECOFEMINISTECUMENICISTENDODONTISTEPIGRAPHISTEQUILIBRISTETHNOLOGISTETYMOLOGISTEUDAEMONISTEXCLUSIVISTFUNAMBULISTGEMMOLOGISTGENEALOGISTGEOBOTANISTHAIRSTYLISTHARMONICISTHISTOLOGISTHISTORICISTHYDROLOGISTHYPERBOLISTILLUSIONISTIMMANENTISTIMPERIALISTIRIDOLOGISTIRREDENTISTKEYBOARDISTLANDSCAPISTLIMNOLOGISTMADRIGALISTMALAPROPISTMAMMALOGISTMANDOLINISTMASCULINISTMATERIALISTMEDIEVALISTMEMORIALISTMETROLOGISTMINIATURISTMONOLOGUISTMUSEOLOGISTMYCOPHAGISTMYTHOLOGISTNATIONALISTNECROLOGISTNEUROLOGISTNONBOTANISTNONFEMINISTNUMISMATISTOBJECTIVISTOPPORTUNISTOPTOMETRISTORIENTALISTORTHOPEDISTOSTEOLOGISTPANTOMIMISTPARACHUTISTPASTORALISTPATERNALISTPATHOLOGISTPERSONALISTPETROLOGISTPHENETICISTPHILATELISTPHILOLOGISTPHONEMICISTPHONOLOGISTPHOTORESISTPHYCOLOGIST
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Twelve-Letter Words (144)
ABOLITIONISTACCORDIONISTANECDOTALISTANGELOLOGISTANTIFEMINISTANTINOVELISTANTIROYALISTAPICULTURISTAPOCALYPTISTASSEMBLAGISTAUTOMOBILISTAVICULTURISTBIBLIOPEGISTBIBLIOPOLISTBIOPHYSICISTBIOSCIENTISTCARDIOLOGISTCARICATURISTCHRONOLOGISTCLARINETTISTCOALITIONISTCOLEOPTERISTCOLLECTIVISTCONCHOLOGISTCOSMOCHEMISTCRYPTOLOGISTDEMONOLOGISTDENDROLOGISTDEONTOLOGISTDEVIATIONISTDIFFUSIONISTDIVERSIONISTECONOMETRISTECOTERRORISTEDITORIALISTEDUCATIONISTELOCUTIONISTEMBRYOLOGISTEMOTIONALISTENTOMOLOGISTENZYMOLOGISTESCAPOLOGISTESSENTIALISTEVOLUTIONISTEXCLUSIONISTEXCURSIONISTEXOBIOLOGISTEXPANSIONISTEXTORTIONISTFUTUROLOGISTGASTRONOMISTGEOPHYSICISTGEOSCIENTISTGLACIOLOGISTGLOSSOLALISTGRAPHOLOGISTGYMNOSOPHISTGYNECOLOGISTHEMATOLOGISTHYPERREALISTIMMUNOLOGISTINFLATIONISTINTUITIONISTISOLATIONISTLEXICOLOGISTMALACOLOGISTMERCANTILISTMETALLURGISTMICROSCOPISTMINERALOGISTMISCELLANISTMONOCHROMISTMORPHOLOGISTMOTORCYCLISTMUSICOLOGISTNEMATOLOGISTNEPHROLOGISTNEUROCHEMISTNOCTAMBULISTNONBIOLOGISTNONCOMMUNISTNONECONOMISTNONSCIENTISTNONSOCIALISTNUMEROLOGISTNUTRITIONISTOBSCURANTISTOCEANOLOGISTOPERATIONISTORTHODONTISTORTHOPTERISTOVEROPTIMISTPALINDROMISTPALYNOLOGISTPAPYROLOGISTPARTITIONISTPERFUSIONISTPERIODONTISTPHILLUMENISTPHLEBOTOMIST
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Thirteen-Letter Words (132)
ACUPUNCTURISTAGRICULTURISTANNEXATIONISTANTICOMMUNISTANTIFORMALISTANTIMECHANISTANTIMODERNISTANTISOCIALISTANTITERRORISTAQUACULTURISTARCHAEOLOGISTCALLIGRAPHISTCAMPANOLOGISTCATASTROPHISTCEREMONIALISTCHIAROSCURISTCINQUECENTISTCLAVICHORDISTCLIMATOLOGISTCOMMERCIALISTCOMPARATIVISTCONCEPTUALISTCONTORTIONISTCONTRABANDISTCONTRABASSISTCONTRAPUNTISTCORELIGIONISTCORRUPTIONISTCOSMETOLOGISTCRIMINOLOGISTCRYOBIOLOGISTCYBERNETICISTDEMOLITIONISTDERMATOLOGISTDEUTERAGONISTDEVOLUTIONISTDIABETOLOGISTDOCUMENTALISTDOCUMENTARISTDODECAPHONISTELECTROLOGISTENCYCLOPEDISTEPIGRAMMATISTETHNOBOTANISTEXHIBITIONISTEXPRESSIONISTFEUILLETONISTFLUGELHORNISTFLUOROSCOPISTFUNCTIONALISTGASTROSCOPISTGEOSTRATEGISTGERONTOLOGISTHERPETOLOGISTICHTHYOLOGISTIMMATERIALISTIMMUNOCHEMISTIMPRESSIONISTINDETERMINISTINDIVIDUALISTINDUSTRIALISTIRRATIONALISTIRRELIGIONISTLAPAROSCOPISTLEPIDOPTERISTLIBERATIONISTLICHENOLOGISTMALARIOLOGISTMARICULTURISTMARTYROLOGISTMELODRAMATISTMETEORITICISTMETEOROLOGISTMETHODOLOGISTMILLENNIALISTMONOMETALLISTMYRMECOLOGISTNARRATOLOGISTNEOCLASSICISTNEONATOLOGISTNEOPLASTICISTNONCAPITALISTNONCHAUVINISTNONCONFORMISTNONMONETARISTNONSPECIALISTONOMATOLOGISTOPPOSITIONISTORNITHOLOGISTPALEOBOTANISTPARTICULARISTPERCUSSIONISTPERFECTIONISTPHENOMENALISTPHILHELLENISTPHRASEOLOGISTPLANETOLOGISTPOSTMODERNISTPRECAPITALISTPRIMATOLOGIST
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Fourteen-Letter Words (84)
ABSTRACTIONISTAERODYNAMICISTANTHROPOLOGISTANTICAPITALISTANTIMILITARISTANTIMONARCHISTANTIMONOPOLISTANTISEPARATISTAROMATHERAPISTASSOCIATIONISTASTROBIOLOGISTASTROPHYSICISTBACTERIOLOGISTBIOREGIONALISTBIOSYSTEMATISTBRONCHOSCOPISTCHEMOTHERAPISTCITRICULTURISTCONSTRUCTIVISTCOOPERATIONISTCYTOGENETICISTDESTRUCTIONISTDIALECTOLOGISTECCLESIOLOGISTEDUCATIONALISTEPIDEMIOLOGISTEPISTEMOLOGISTEXISTENTIALISTFLORICULTURISTFUNDAMENTALISTGEOHYDROLOGISTHARPSICHORDISTHORTICULTURISTHYDROBIOLOGISTHYPERMODERNISTHYPNOTHERAPISTINCREMENTALISTINDIFFERENTISTINTEGRATIONISTKREMLINOLOGISTLITURGIOLOGISTMETAFICTIONISTMICROBIOLOGISTNEOCOLONIALISTNEUROANATOMISTNEUROBIOLOGISTNEUROSCIENTISTNONOBJECTIVISTOBSTRUCTIONISTOPERATIONALISTPALEOBIOLOGISTPALEOECOLOGISTPALEOMAGNETISTPALEONTOLOGISTPALEOZOOLOGISTPANTISOCRATISTPARASITOLOGISTPHARMACOLOGISTPHILANTHROPISTPHOTOBIOLOGISTPHOTOGEOLOGISTPOSTCAPITALISTPREREVISIONISTPROHIBITIONISTPROSTHODONTISTPROTOZOOLOGISTPSYCHOLINGUISTRADIOBIOLOGISTRADIOTHERAPISTREPUDIATIONISTRESERVATIONISTRESTRICTIONISTRHEUMATOLOGISTSACRAMENTALISTSEGREGATIONISTSENSATIONALISTSENTIMENTALISTSILVICULTURISTSOCIOBIOLOGISTSPECTROSCOPISTTERRITORIALISTTRADITIONALISTULTRAMODERNISTVIVISECTIONIST
Fifteen-Letter Words (46)
AGRICULTURALISTANTIABORTIONISTANTICOLONIALISTANTIMATERIALISTANTINATIONALISTANTIRATIONALISTASSIMILATIONISTBIOTECHNOLOGISTCHEMOTAXONOMISTCHRONOBIOLOGISTCOLONIZATIONISTCONFESSIONALISTCONSERVATIONISTCONSTRUCTIONISTCONVENTIONALISTCRYPTOZOOLOGISTDAGUERREOTYPISTEMANCIPATIONISTENDOCRINOLOGISTEXPERIMENTALISTGEOCHRONOLOGISTGEOMORPHOLOGISTGOVERNMENTALISTHYDRODYNAMICISTINSTRUMENTALISTINSURRECTIONISTINTELLECTUALISTINTERVENTIONISTMULTILATERALISTNONPSYCHIATRISTOPHTHALMOLOGISTPHENOMENOLOGISTPHOTOJOURNALISTPHYSIOTHERAPISTPREFORMATIONISTPRESERVATIONISTPSEUDOSCIENTISTPSYCHOBIOLOGISTPSYCHOPHYSICISTPSYCHOTHERAPISTQUARTERFINALISTRESURRECTIONISTROENTGENOLOGISTSEDIMENTOLOGISTSUPERNATURALISTSUPERSPECIALIST