Standard Lemma guide

pastoralist

adj · noun · 2 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

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Having features common to pastoralism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a pastoralist society

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person involved in pastoralism, whose primary occupation is the raising of livestock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle

Examples

  • 2015, Elizabeth Royte, Vultures Are Revolting. Here’s Why We Need to Save Them., National Geographic (December 2015)https://web.archive.org/web/20151213095110/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/vultures-text As our truck weaves through flocks of sheep and goats, Virani explains how the Maasai have in recent years leased their land, which rings the northern section of the Masai Mara National Reserve, to conservancies established to protect wildlife by excluding pastoralists and their livestock.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English pastoral 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 pastoralist From pastoral + -ist.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: pastoraliste — having features common to pastoralism
  • Ukrainian: скота́р (skotár) — person involved in pastoralism
  • Ukrainian: скота́рка (skotárka) — person involved in pastoralism