Standard Lemma guide

individualist

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N D IH0 V IH0 D UW1 AH0 L IH0 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone who believes in individualism as a sociopolitical system.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone who believes in the philosophy of individualism; a solipsist.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Someone who does as they wish, unconstrained by external influences.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

marked by or expressing individuality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an individualistic way of dressing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: individualistic

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a person who pursues independent thought or action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: dropout, loner, lone wolf, lone hand, mugwump, independent, fencesitter, night owl, nighthawk, nightbird, nudist, naturist, withdrawer

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English individual Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English individualist From individual + -ist.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Chinese Mandarin: 個人主義者 /个人主义者 (gèrén zhǔyì zhě) — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Czech: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Dutch: individualist — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • French: individualiste — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Galician: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • German: Individualist — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • German: Individualistin — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Italian: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Malay: individualis — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Polish: indywidualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Portuguese: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Russian: индивидуалист (individualist) — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Spanish: individualista — someone who believes in individualism as sociopolitical system
  • Catalan: individualista — someone who does as they wish
  • Dutch: individualist — someone who does as they wish
  • Galician: individualista — someone who does as they wish
  • German: Individualist — someone who does as they wish
  • German: Individualistin — someone who does as they wish
  • Malay: individualis — someone who does as they wish
  • Spanish: individualista — someone who does as they wish