essayist

noun

es·​say·​ist ˈe-ˌsā-ist How to pronounce essayist (audio)
Synonyms of essayistnext
: a writer of essays

Examples of essayist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kei Miller is a Jamaican poet, essayist, and novelist, shortlisted for the Costa Poetry Award and winner of the prestigious Forward poetry prize for his collection The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 James Baldwin rose to prominence as a novelist, essayist, and public intellectual at a time when psychoanalysis was all the rage. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2026 Icelandic poet, novelist and essayist Andri Snær Magnason was tasked with commemorating Ok, his words etched into copper and fastened to rock uncovered by the glacier’s retreating ice. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 July 2026 Novelist, essayist, playwright and activist James Baldwin was born in New York City. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for essayist

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of essayist was in 1601

Rhymes for essayist

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Browse Nearby Words

essay examination
essayist
essayistic
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Cite this Entry

“Essayist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essayist. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

essayist

noun
es·​say·​ist ˈes-ˌā-əst How to pronounce essayist (audio)
: a writer of essays

More from Merriam-Webster on essayist

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for essayist

Nglish: Translation of essayist for Spanish Speakers

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