abolitionist
/ˌæb.əˈlɪʃ.ə.nɪst/ · ab·o·li·tion·ist
noun
- A person who supports the abolition of a practice, institution, or law, especially slavery. Frederick Douglass was a prominent abolitionist who fought tirelessly for the end of slavery in the United States.
- A reformer who seeks to eliminate a particular social evil or undesirable custom. Modern animal‑rights activists often describe themselves as abolitionists of animal cruelty.
adjective
- Relating to or characteristic of an abolitionist; advocating abolition. The newspaper published an abolitionist editorial condemning the slave trade.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word rose to prominence during the 19th‑century U.S. anti‑slavery movement; Harriet Tubman, though best known for the Underground Railroad, was also celebrated as an abolitionist.