Confucianist
/kənˈfjuːʃənɪst/noun
A person who follows or studies the teachings and philosophical tradition associated with Confucius.
Did you know?“Confucius” is a Latinized form of the Chinese honorific Kong Fuzi, meaning “Master Kong,” while his personal name was Kong Qiu.
Etymological Timeline
6th–5th Century BCE
Classical Chinese
孔丘 (Kǒng Qiū)
“Kong Qiu, the personal name of the philosopher later known in the West as Confucius”
Late Zhou period
Classical Chinese
孔子 (Kǒngzǐ)
“Master Kong; an honorific title meaning “Master” or “Teacher Kong””
16th–17th Century
Latin
Confucius
“A Latinized rendering of Kong Fuzi, introduced into European scholarship by Jesuit writers”
17th Century
English
Confucian
“Relating to Confucius or his teachings”
18th Century
English
Confucianist
“A person who follows or studies Confucian teachings, formed from Confucian plus the agentive suffix -ist”