[In sense 1, f. TRANSFORM v. + -IST; in sense 2, a. F. transformiste (Broca, 1867, as in prec.).]
1. One who is occupied in transforming. humorous nonce-use.
1799. J. MacGowan, Dial. Devils, i. 11. As for the barbers, they are a set of transformists, established wholly by my dexterity.
2. An adherent of transformism. Also attrib. or as adj.
a. 1879. Pusey, in Athenæum, 19 July, 83/1. We think the transformist theories a mere imagination.
1885. [see prec. 2.].
1890. Pop. Sc. Monthly, Dec., 257. Agardh … was a little too earnest a transformist, and believed that certain algæ could become animals.
Hence Transformistic of or pertaining to transformism or transformists.
1887. Nature, 24 Feb., 389/2. In the chapter on the first appearance of man, the various transformistic theories are passed in review.
