Pacifist
/ˈpæs.ɪ.fɪst/noun
A person who opposes war and violence as a matter of principle.
Did you know?The word is surprisingly modern, coined in the early 20th century, but it grows from the ancient Latin *pax*, the same root behind *peace* and the Roman idea of order after conquest.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pag-
“To fasten or bind together.”
Latin
Latin
pax
“Peace, a settled state of agreement.”
Late Latin
Latin
pacificus
“Peace-making; peaceable.”
19th Century
French
pacifiste
“A peace advocate or opponent of war.”
Early 20th Century
English
pacifist
“A person who believes war and violence are unjustifiable.”