-ian +

(Latin: suffix form of -an from -ianus, a modifier of the main word to which it is attached: belonging to, coming from, being involved in, or being like something )

Appearing in such words as comedian, egalitarian, Bostonian, Italian, Smithsonian, mathematician, Alabamian, Californian, Arizonian, and Canadian. It is attached to the root of common or proper nouns with the meanings "of, pertaining to, from", or "like" the proper name appearing in the stem.

—Based on information from The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology,
Edited by Robert K. Barnhart, The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.


dictionarian
A maker of a dictionary; a lexicograher.
dinosaurian
Of, relating to, or characteristic of a dinosaur.
disciplinarian
1. Someone who insists that rules are obeyed strictly, and who punishes people who break them.
2. Anyone who enforces discipline (in an army, school, family, etc.).
3. An upholder or advocate of strict discipline.
econometrician
A student of, or specialist in, econometrics.
ephebian
From the Greek word ephebe (epi- "at, upon" plus hebe- "early manhood").

One source suggests that in ancient Athens (335 B.C.), an ephebe was a young citizen undergoing physical and military training.

To be a citizen, it was necessary that every legitimate son of pure Athenian parentage who had reached the age of eighteen had to be enrolled in an ephebic college and undergo its two year course of rigorous training in military and civic duties and activities.

ethnohistorian
Someone who specializes in ethnohistory or the study of written and oral histories of human cultures.
formicarian
Relating to or resembling ants.
fruitarian
1. Someone whose diet includes fruits, seeds, and nuts but no vegetables, grains, or animal products.
2. A person whose diet consists chiefly of fruit.
gyniatrician
A physician who specializes in gyniatrics.
herbarian
One skilled in the knowledge of herbs, a herbalist.
historian
1. Someone who is an authority on history and who studies it and writes about it.
2. A writer, student, or scholar of history.
3. Someone who writes or compiles a chronological record of events; a chronicler.
humanitarian
One devoted to the promotion of human welfare and the advancement of social reforms; a philanthropist.
insectarian, insectarianism
Anyone who feeds on insects.
librarian
1. Someone who works in or is in charge of a library.
2. The keeper or custodian of a library.

Literally, "of books". Also, "a scribe or someone who is concerned with books".

lunarian
1. Inhabiting the moon.
2. Someone who observes or describes the moon; such as, anyone who used the lunar method in finding longitude.
3. Someone who observes or describes the moon.

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