vocabulist

From Latin vocābulum (“vocable”) +‎ -ist. In sense 3, probably after Middle French vocabuliste or its etymon New Latin vocābulista (“vocabulary”). With sense 1, compare French vocabuliste with the same meaning.^[1]

vocabulist (plural vocabulists)

1. The writer or maker of a vocabulary (dictionary or glossary); a lexicographer.
2. One who cultivates a large or impressive vocabulary.

   Synonym: vocabularian

   • 1853 April 23, The Daily Scioto Gazette, Chillicothe, Oh., →ISSN, →OCLC:

     There is not the least mystery about the meaning of the name of this river, the greenest vocabulist in the Algonquin tongue knows its meaning.

   • 1911 June 17, Musical Standard, London, →OCLC, page 373, column 2:

     Truth […] is easily discerned in the most floreate verbal fabric of the most prodigal vocabulist.

   • 2000 May, Frank Louis Cioffi, “‘An Anguish Become Thing’: Narrative as Performance in David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest”, in James Phelan, editor, Narrative, volume 8, number 2, Columbus, Oh.: Ohio State University Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 168:

     Some words remain for me elusive and are probably jokes I’m not getting or neologisms of Wallace’s: contuded, hulpil, egregulous , ascapartic, gumlet. This is a virtuoso vocabulist at work, performing busily, somewhat aggressively demonstrating his skill.

3. (obsolete) A dictionary or glossary.

• “vocabulist”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.