Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who believes in or supports labor unions.
  • noun A member of a labor union.
  • noun One who is loyal to the United Kingdom, especially in support of its sovereignty over Northern Ireland.
  • noun One who was loyal to the federal government of the United States during the Civil War.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who promotes or advocates union.
  • noun A member of a trade-union; a trade-unionist. One who during the American civil war took the side of the national government.
  • noun [capitalized] In British politics, one who is opposed to the dissolution or rupture of the legislative union existing between Great Britain and Ireland, and especially to the separatist principles and tendencies of those who desire to establish home rule in Ireland: a name applied to the Conservatives and Liberal Unionists.
  • Of or pertaining to a union or to unionism; promoting or advocating union: as, a unionist movement; a unionist party.
  • Specifically, during the civil war in the United States, of or pertaining to the Union party or cause.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who advocates or promotes union; especially a loyal supporter of a federal union, as that of the United States.
  • noun A member or supporter of a trades union.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective sometimes capitalised Of or pertaining to unionism
  • noun An advocate or supporter of unionism
  • noun A trade unionist

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a worker who belongs to a trade union

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word unionist.

Examples

  • In Scotland & Wales the big three represent the Union, while the Nats have their own parties, talk of throwing off the name unionist is very premature.

    "The people have(n't) spoken.... O'Neill 2009

  • "In Scotland & Wales the big three represent the Union, while the Nats have their own parties, talk of throwing off the name unionist is very premature."

    "The people have(n't) spoken.... O'Neill 2009

  • Among Greeks the word "unionist" is rendered as "enotist" — someone who supports enosis, or union, between Greece and John Bull's other European colony, Cyprus.

    The Perils of Partition 2003

  • Among Greeks the word "unionist" is rendered as "enotist" — someone who supports enosis, or union, between Greece and John Bull's other European colony, Cyprus.

    The Perils of Partition 2003

  • At the shoulder of the trade-unionist is the socialist, sympathizing with him, aiding him with head and hand, suggesting -- perpetually suggesting -- the necessity for political action.

    THE CLASS STRUGGLE 2010

  • Labour is a unionist party - nobody disputes this – so is the Liberal Democrat Party but neither feels the need to use the word unionist in their official name.

    The Key to a Scottish Tory Revival 2007

  • At the shoulder of the trade-unionist is the socialist, sympathizing with him, aiding him with head and hand, suggesting -- perpetually suggesting -- the necessity for political action.

    The Class Struggle 1905

  • However the so-called unionist MP's from Scotland namely New Labour, Tories, and Lib Dems who DO as instructed by their party heirarchys to vote on every issue that is England only.

    SHILLING FOR DEVOLUTION 2009

  • The unionist, that is, has come to depend upon his union for that material prosperity and advancement which, according to the American tradition, was to be the inevitable result of American political ideas and institutions.

    The Promise of American Life Herbert David Croly 1899

  • Many unprecedented things have happened in this peace process, but the idea of unionist politicians serving under a Martin McGuinness prime ministership is inconceivable.

    Independent.ie - Frontpage RSS Feed 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.