One who affiliates with Greeks, or imitates Greek manners; esp., a person of Jewish extraction who used the Greek language as his mother tongue, as did the Jews of Asia Minor, Greece, Syria, and Egypt; distinguished from the Hebraists, or native Jews (Acts vi. 1).

One skilled in the Greek language and literature; as, the critical Hellenist.

(HEL·len·ist). As used in Acts a Hellenist referred to those of Jewish descent, originating outside the Roman province of Judea and not Hebrew speaking natives of Judea, who adopted Greek language, ideas, culture, and thought. They were ethnic Jews born and reared in a nation predominately Greek in thought, language, culture, and education.

a promoter of the Greek language, customs, and ways of thought.

Jews imbued with Greek culture in the time of the Maccabees.