A person who supported Alfred Dreyfus's innocence and the cause of justice during the Dreyfus Affair scandal in 1890s France.
From 'Dreyfus' plus the agent suffix '-ist,' meaning 'one who supports or believes in.' Used to identify the faction that fought for Dreyfus's exoneration against the military establishment and anti-Semitic forces.
Famous dreyfusists included the author Émile Zola, who wrote 'J'accuse!' to expose the injustice—one writer's bold words actually changed the course of a trial and challenged an entire nation's prejudices.
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