Cineast is a French borrowing that made its American premiere in the mid-1920s. The French spliced together "ciné" and "-aste" to create "cinéaste," a word for a filmmaker or movie director. "Ciné" in French is just another word for "cinema," and "-aste" is a suffix that appears in words like "gymnaste" and "enthousiaste." "Cinéaste" underwent several changes once it was established in English. Some writers anglicized its spelling, shortening "-aste" to "-ast" (although "cineaste" and "cinéaste" are also still used). Others began to use "cineast" to mean "film buff," and that's the sense that is most common today.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebWIRED: Selection and recommendations for the Sundance-savvy cineast. Wired Staff, WIRED, 1 May 2004
Word History
Etymology
French cinéaste, from ciné + -aste (as in enthousiaste enthusiast)