[f. L. stat-us STATE sb.: see -IST. Cf. It. statista (in Florio, 1611), F. † statiste (17th c.), Sp., Pg. estadista, G. statist (from 17th c.), Sw. statist.
The word probably originated in Italian, though evidence of its earlier currency in that lang. is wanting.]
1. One skilled in state affairs, one having political knowledge, power or influence; a politician, statesman. Very common in 17th c. Now arch.
1584. Sidney, in A. Collins, S. Lett. (1746), I. I. 63. When he plais the Statist, wringing veri unlukkili some of Machiavels Axiomes to serve his Purpos then indeed; then he tryumphes.
c. 1590. Sir T. More (Malone Soc.), 772. Hees great in studie, thats the statists grace that gaines more reuerence then the outward place.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 222. Thereby shall be seene … whether the seculars or Iesuits are greater statists: that is, intermedlers in state affairs.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. ii. 33. I once did hold it as our Statists doe.
1641. Milton, Reform., 10. They suffer’d themselvs to be the common stales to countenance with their prostituted Gravities every Politick Fetch that was then on foot, as oft as the Potent Statists pleas’d to employ them.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., II. xiii. Statists that labour to contrive a Commonwealth without poverty, take away the object of charity.
1691. [S. Bethel], Provid. God (1694), 29. This Government of ours has been by our late Kings carried on by Tricks, which our Statists valued themselves upon, as the Effect of their great Wisdom.
1799. Wordsw., Poet’s Epitaph, 1. Art thou a Statist in the van Of public conflicts trained and bred?
1850. Hannay, Singleton Fontenoy, IV. ii. There was a statist in embryo; there was a leading-article man.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 17. To lift along the athlete and ensure A second wreath, proposed by fools for first, The statist’s olive as the poet’s bay.
2. One who deals with statistics, a statistician.
1803. Edin. Rev., II. 304. If Mr. Catteau’s authority is called in question we are ready to corroborate it by the testimony of more than one dozen German statists.
1846. Times, 16 Aug., 6/3. A statist is a student of statistics, i. e. a man who computes and analyses everything that relates to the visible state or condition of man.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1880), VI. viii. 181. With these numbers before him … a Statist will quickly educe what he calls the ‘percentages.’
1892. Daily News, 29 Jan., 3/5. The Government Statist of the Colony of Victoria.
