Also 6 Latenyste, 7 Lattinist. [f. LATIN + -IST. Cf. med.L. Latīnista, F. latiniste.]
1. One who is versed in the Latin language; a Latin scholar; † occas. a writer of Latin.
1538. Coverdale, Lett. to Ld. Crumwell, Wks. (Parker Soc.), II. 494. There is diversity of reading among the Hebrews, Chaldees, and Greeks, and Latinists.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, lxxx. 33. Some grekes with the latenystes doth name it Cholera…. In Englyshe it is named the belly ache.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, Ded. (Arb.), 4. I heeld no Latinist so fit … as Virgil.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., 158. For … placing the words after the manner of the purest Latinists.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 29 June. My Lord must have some good Latinist to make the preamble to his Patent.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 382. Church-ladders are not always mounted best By learned Clerks and Latinists profess’d.
1821. T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Writ. 1892, I. 3. My teacher … was but a superficial Latinist.
1882. Masson, Edin. Sketches, 230. The worst Latinist in the whole school.
attrib. 1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., IV. ii. 1677 (Arb.), 54. I am stil haunted with these needy Lattinist fellowes.
2. A theologian of the Latin Church.
c. 1568. Coverdale, Hope Faithf., xviii. (1574), 140. Among the Greekes also and Latinistes there wer excellent men.
