With all the talk of white supremacists lately, I’ve noticed that a few people say “su-PREM-ist” instead of “su-PREM-a-cist”.
If you say that latter, are you thinking of a different word, or just dropping the “ac” in the middle? Or something else?
The former.
(But I also put an extra syllable into sovereignty, saying “sovereignity.”)
Su-prem-a-cist is clearly correct, as the word comes from supremacy rather than supreme. A Supremist is someone who thinks Diana Ross is the greatest vocal talent of all time.
You know, I do say “supremist” sometimes and I don’t know why. It’s obviously wrong.
Yay! As someone who consistently says real-a-tor, I’m pleased that I get this one right.
I employ the hard “c.”
Both depending in part in the situation/context. For example I may say “John is a white su-PREM-ist” but later in the conversation say “I don’t want to be anywhere near any su-PREM-a-cist events”
On purpose? The word has 4 syllables. It doesn’t change.
First, four syllables. /sʊˈprɛməsɪst/
I can’t recall ever being in an oral conversation about a related subject, but I guess I’d probably call a supremacist a supremacist.
BTW, I’m not here to say either one is right. I’m a die-hard descriptivist. I just noticed that several people I’ve heard on TV and the radio seem to be saying “supremist”, which I thought was kind of interesting. I can sort of understand why.
Supremacist, just like it’s spelled. I am bugged by those who drop the ‘ac’, just like I’m bugged by those who say “manufacture” when they mean “manufacturer” or “maint-nance” when they mean “main-ten-ance”.
Are you bugged by people who say “Wensday”?
Yes, and also “Febuary”.
You must have conniptions on WEDNESdays in FebRUary. 
Whatever you do, don’t ask him questions about Worcestershire or Leicestershire.
Supremist? <Monica Geller> That’s not even a word!!!
Seriously, I’ve never heard anyone say it that way and it’s flat out wrong.
It gets 108,000 hits on Google. There are folks who even spell it that way. I bet you have heard it, and you just didn’t notice.
The baboon said “supremist” in a speech just after Charlottesville, and I immediately thought “He’s laundering the word.”
Obviously he was tiptoeing around these people and avoiding holding them accountable. He didn’t say the actual word because the supremacists would be offended. And they heard him and they understood.
I want everyone to enunciate as precisely as old Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Sheppard, whose diction was so perfect he could pronounce both ‘g’s in Wade Boggs’ name.