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-ista

A supporter of a person or organization.

Spanish ‑ista, derived from Latin.

The Spanish suffix is that language's equivalent of English ‑ist. It became known in the latter part of the twentieth century through several Spanish terms for political groupings, especially Sandinista, a member of a left-wing Nicaraguan political organization, named after a similar group founded by Augusto César Sandino (1893–1934); Fidelista, an adherent of Fidel Castro in Cuba; and Peronista, a supporter of Juan Perôn in Argentina.

A small number of English colloquial terms have been created using it, always with derogatory implications: Blairista, a supporter of the British prime minister, Tony Blair; Guardianista, a reader of the Guardian newspaper or one whose opinions correspond to its liberal outlook; Portillista, a follower of or someone sympathetic to the views of the British Conservative politician Michael Portillo.

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