deletionist

D2E1L1E1T1I1O1N1I1S1T1

adjective

Favoring the deletion of a given passage or work as spurious.

Opposite
Scrabble 12

Meanings

adjectivedeletionist (comparative more deletionist, superlative most deletionist)

comparative more deletionist · superlative most deletionist

  1. classical studiesFavoring the deletion of a given passage or work as spurious.
  2. Preferring to delete material.
    1 more example

    In the deletionists’ corner sits the strong sense that the more topics of debatable value are included (they cite such entries as side characters from the Pokémon cartoon or the Heroes TV series as examples), the more dependents will see Wikipedia as a source of fun rather than knowledge. They are worried that the brand is at risk of losing its value. In a deletionist world, Wikipedia would exert more control over what it publishes. […]

    2009, Emmanuel Gobillot, Leadershift: Reinventing Leadership for the Age of Mass Collaboration, Kogan Page, published 2011, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 89

    Antonyms: inclusionist

noundeletionist (plural deletionists)

plural deletionists

  1. A user with deletionist sentiments.

    The two groups had been vying for control from early on in the site's life, but the numbers suggest that the deletionists may have won. The increasing difficulty of making a successful edit; the exclusion of casual users; slower growth – all are hallmarks of the deletionist approach.

    2009 August 12, Bobbie Johnson, “Wikipedia approaches its limits”, in The Guardian

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePreferring to delete material.

Opposite

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂leyH-
  7. Proto-Italic*linō
  8. Latinlinō
  9. Latindēlinō
  10. Latindēlēvībf.?
  11. Latindē-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*h₃elh₁-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₃olh₁-éye-ti
  14. Proto-Italic*oleō
  15. Latin*oleō
  16. Latindēleō
  17. Latindēlētiōnem
  18. Englishdeletion
  19. Englishdeletionist

From deletion + -ist.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

deletionist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletionist

MLA

“deletionist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletionist. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deletionist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deletionist.

Source: deletionist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.