patristics

noun

pa·tris·tics pə-ˈtri-stiks

plural in form but singular in construction

: the study of the writings and background of the church fathers

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of patristics was in 1847

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Patristics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patristics. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

consummate

Listen to the pronunciation of consummate

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

A Guide to Using Semicolons

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

Popular

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Our Best Historical Slang Terms