Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A speculative philosopher; a person who, absorbed with theoretical questions, pays little attention to practical conditions.

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

  • noun One who speculates, or forms theories; a speculator; a theorist.

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

  • noun One who speculates; a theorist.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

speculate +‎ -ist

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Examples

  • There cannot, in nature, in theory, nor even in common sense, be a doubt of their equal right: but disquisitions on this point will remain rather curious than important, till the speculatist can superinduce to the abstract truth of the position some proof of its practicability.

    Camilla 2008

  • Aristotle, in considering that great man rather in the quality of a philosopher or a speculatist, than as a legislator.

    The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling 2004

  • The first thought that occurs is to cover them with trees, for that in many of these naked regions trees will grow, is evident, because stumps and roots are yet remaining; and the speculatist hastily proceeds to censure that negligence and laziness that has omitted for so long a time so easy an improvement.

    A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland 2003

  • Little boots it to the subtle speculatist to stand single in his opinions, — unless he gives them proper vent: — It was the identical thing which my father did: — for in the year sixteen, which was two years before I was born, he was at the pains of writing an express

    The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman 2003

  • Little boots it to the subtle speculatist to stand single in his opinions, — unless he gives them proper vent: — It was the identical thing which my father did: — for in the year sixteen, which was two years before I was born, he was at the pains of writing an express

    The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman 2003

  • But though he had, as we have said, formed his morals on the Platonic model, yet he perfectly agreed with the opinion of Aristotle, in considering that great man rather in the quality of a philosopher or a speculatist, than as a legislator.

    III. The Character of Mr. Square the Philosopher, and of Mr. Thwackum the Divine. Book III 1917

  • So, when the poor speculatist, with a serious metaphysical pensive face, addressed him,

    Life Of Johnson Boswell, James, 1740-1795 1887

  • Like many an ardent speculatist, he had embraced in early life the system of Materialism; and even after he had entered on the work of the ministry, he could write to a professedly

    Modern Atheism under its forms of Pantheism, Materialism, Secularism, Development, and Natural Laws James Buchanan 1837

  • There are examples however, especially in the fields of controversy, where an adventurous speculatist has been known to lay down premises and principles, from which inferences might be fairly deduced, incompatible with the opinions entertained by him who delivered them.

    Thoughts on Man: His Nature, Productions, and Discoveries 1831

  • Perhaps the most obvious cases are among the sanguine and imaginative; and the guess would be, that a beautiful person would presently be enriched with all possible virtues, while the colder speculatist would only see in it, not what it possessed, but the mind that it wanted.

    Lectures on Art Washington Allston 1811

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