MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Reading Practice Test

What does the suffix -ist typically refer to?

1. State

2. Quality

3. Doctrine

4. Worker or follower

The correct answer is: Worker or follower

The suffix -ist is used to denote a person who practices or is concerned with something, or a follower of a particular doctrine or system. It implies membership in a group or adherence to a specific profession or belief, often indicating a worker in a specialized field or an advocate of a particular concept. For instance, an artist is someone who practices art, a biologist is a scientist who specializes in biology, and a realist subscribes to a specific philosophy regarding reality. This use of -ist can be seen in a variety of contexts, where the word it is attached to reflects a specific activity or belief system associated with that individual. This makes it distinct from other suffixes such as those indicating state, quality, or doctrine, which serve different linguistic functions.