exegetist

noun

ex·​e·​get·​ist ˌek-sə-ˈjē-tist How to pronounce exegetist (audio) -ˈje- How to pronounce exegetist (audio)
plural exegetists
: one who practices exegesis : exegete
Nor have there been wanting learned exegetists who have opined that the whale mentioned in the book of Jonah merely meant a life-preserver …Herman Melville
The exegetists have discovered and interpreted to the world all the obvious and hidden meanings of the letter …The New York Times
… although the literature which has accumulated about him is voluminous, it lacks the unconscious humor of the customary classical exegetistsErnest Augustus Boyd

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exegetist was in 1829

Dictionary Entries Near exegetist

Cite this Entry

“Exegetist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exegetist. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!