hermeneutic

her·me·neu·tic
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UK/ˌhɜː.məˈn(j)uː.tɪk/Canada, US/ˌhɜɹ.məˈn(j)u.tɪk/Australia/ˌhɜː.məˈn(j)ʉː.tɪk/New Zealand/ˌhøː.məˈn(j)ʉː.tək/

adjective

Having to do with hermeneutics; that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates texts, especially holy texts.

“Near-synonyms: exegetic, exegetical”

UncommonScrabble 18

Meanings

adjectivehermeneutic (not comparable)
  1. not comparablehumanitieslifestyleHaving to do with hermeneutics; that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates texts, especially holy texts.

    Near-synonyms: exegetic, exegetical

    1 more example

    Following the goal of surrealist automatic writing, the sheer richness of this dream imagery blurs the border between oneirography and fiction—the tawdry colonials, the sign of the alluring woman, the writing lesson, the papyrus turban, the disguised charlatan's reverie, the ecstasy of signification, writing both conscious and unconscious, poetic and hermeneutic, text and mirror, "langage tangage" (Leiris 1985⁹)—composing a narrative philosophy of cross-cultural existence.

    2006, École pratique des hautes études (France). Section des sciences économiques et sociales, École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Cahiers d'études africaines, Volume 46, Issues 3-4; Volume 46, Issues 183-184, volume 46, numbers 3-4; 183-184, Mouton., page 586

    Synonyms: hermeneutical, exegetic, exegetical · Antonyms: nonhermeneutic

nounhermeneutic (plural hermeneutics)

plural hermeneutics

  1. humanitieslifestyleA particular theory of hermeneutics; a particular method of interpretation of text, especially holy texts.

    The hermeneutics of suspicion needs to be balanced by a hermeneutic that is grounded in the recognition that written texts represent valid expressions of their author's intent, and that principles may be established that would guide the reader to that intent.

    1995 September 27, G. D. Robinson, “Paul Ricoeur and the Hermeneutics of Suspicion: A Brief Overview and Critique”, in Premise, volume II, number 8, page 12

    Synonyms: exegesis

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveHaving to do with hermeneutics; that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates texts, especially holy texts.

nounA particular theory of hermeneutics; a particular method of interpretation of text, especially holy texts.

Similar

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἑρμηνευτικός“of or for interpreting”
  2. Englishhermeneutic

Derived from Ancient Greek ἑρμηνευτικός (hermēneutikós, “of or for interpreting”), from Ancient Greek ἑρμηνεύς (hermēneús, “interpreter”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian обяснителен, тълкувателен
  • обяснителен (objasnitelen)that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • тълкувателен (tălkuvatelen)that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Catalan hermenèutic, hermenèutica
  • hermenèuticthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • hermenèuticaparticular theory of hermeneutics
Danish hermeneutisk
  • hermeneutiskthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Dutch hermeneutisch
  • hermeneutischthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Esperanto hermeneŭtika
  • hermeneŭtikathat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Finnish hermeneuttinen
  • hermeneuttinenthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
French herméneutique, herméneutique
  • herméneutiquethat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • herméneutiqueparticular theory of hermeneutics
German hermeneutisch
  • hermeneutischthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Italian ermeneutico
  • ermeneuticothat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Latin hermeneuticus
  • hermeneuticusthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Polish hermeneutyczny, hermeneutyka
  • hermeneutycznythat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • hermeneutykaparticular theory of hermeneutics
Portuguese hermenêutico, hermenêutica
  • hermenêuticothat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • hermenêuticaparticular theory of hermeneutics
Romanian hermeneutic, ermeneutic
  • hermeneuticthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • ermeneuticthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
Spanish hermenéutico, hermenéutica
  • hermenéuticothat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text
  • hermenéuticaparticular theory of hermeneutics
Swedish hermeneutisk
  • hermeneutiskthat explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates a text

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with hermeneutic

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

hermeneutic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutic

MLA

“hermeneutic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hermeneutic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutic.

Source: hermeneutic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.