A resist composition comprising (A) a polymer comprising recurring units having an alicyclic hydrocarbon backbone to which a carboxylate moiety capable of generating carboxylic acid when decomposed under acidic conditions is attached through a C1-C20 alkylene spacer, (B) a photoacid generator, and (C) an organic solvent is sensitive to high-energy radiation, and has excellent sensitivity and resolution at a wavelength below 180 nm, and good plasma etching resistance. Because these features of the inventive resist composition enable its use particularly as a resist at the exposure wavelength of a F2 excimer laser, a finely defined pattern can easily be formed, making the resist ideal as a micropatterning material in VLSI fabrication.