revivalist: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Descriptive
Quick answer
What does “revivalist” mean?
A person who seeks to revive or restore something that has declined, especially a particular practice, interest, or religious movement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who seeks to revive or restore something that has declined, especially a particular practice, interest, or religious movement.
Often refers specifically to a preacher or religious leader who conducts campaigns to reawaken faith or religious fervour. It can also apply to someone passionate about reviving a cultural or artistic style, such as architectural revivalism or musical revivalism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major semantic differences. Slightly more common in American English due to the historical prominence of religious revivalism in US culture.
Connotations
In both varieties, primary connotation is religious. In non-religious contexts, it can imply a passionate, almost missionary zeal for a cultural cause.
Frequency
More frequent in American English within historical, religious, and music contexts (e.g., folk revivalist).
Grammar
How to Use “revivalist” in a Sentence
[revivalist] + of + [movement/style/faith] (e.g., a revivalist of early jazz)be/become + [a/an] + [adjective] + revivalistVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “revivalist” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standard. The verb is 'revive'. 'Revivalist' is not used as a verb.)
American English
- (Not standard. The verb is 'revive'. 'Revivalist' is not used as a verb.)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard. The adverb would be 'revivalistically', which is extremely rare and non-standard.)
American English
- (Not standard. The adverb would be 'revivalistically', which is extremely rare and non-standard.)
adjective
British English
- The church hosted a series of revivalist meetings that drew large crowds.
- He has a revivalist fervour for post-war British cinema.
American English
- The tent hosted a revivalist preacher every summer.
- She's part of a revivalist movement in bluegrass music.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially in marketing: 'a revivalist of classic branding techniques'.
Academic
Common in historical, religious studies, and cultural studies texts.
Everyday
Low frequency. Understood but not commonly used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in specific fields like architectural history (Gothic Revivalist), musicology, or theology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “revivalist”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “revivalist”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “revivalist”
- Misspelling as 'revivelist' or 'revivalyst'.
- Confusing it with 'survivalist'.
- Using it to mean simply 'someone who likes old things' without the active campaigning element.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the most common use is religious, it can apply to anyone actively seeking to revive any practice, style, or ideology (e.g., a 'blues revivalist', an 'Arts and Crafts revivalist').
A reformer typically seeks to change and improve an existing system. A revivalist seeks to bring back a past system, practice, or level of enthusiasm that has been lost or declined.
Yes, it is commonly used attributively as an adjective (e.g., 'revivalist movement', 'revivalist preacher').
Yes, 'revivalism' is the abstract noun referring to the principles or practices of revivalists, especially in a religious context.
A person who seeks to revive or restore something that has declined, especially a particular practice, interest, or religious movement.
Revivalist is usually formal/descriptive in register.
Revivalist: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈvaɪvəlɪst/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈvaɪvəlɪst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On the revivalist trail”
- “A touch of the revivalist (zeal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a person who wants to make something 'RE-VIVE' (live again) and is an 'IST' (a specialist or believer in it).
Conceptual Metaphor
REVIVAL IS A JOURNEY BACK TO THE SOURCE / REVIVAL IS A FIRE (to be rekindled).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'revivalist' LEAST likely to be used?