Meanings
- countableuncountableThe study of interpretation, particularly concerning texts, meaning, and understanding. It originates from classical exegesis but was significantly developed in the modern period, especially in relation to phenomenology and existentialism. At its core, hermeneutics addresses the conditions of understanding and the processes by which meaning is constructed.
SAUNDERS or SANDERS, RICHARD (1613–1687?), astrologer, a native of Warwickshire, was born in 1613, commenced the study of hermeneutics about 1647, and practised astrology and cheiromancy during the golden age of the pseudo-sciences in England.
1885, Thomas Seccombe, “Saunders, Richard (1613-1687?)”, in Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, volume 502 more examples
1885, Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (original translators and editors), Arthur Cleveland Coxe (editor of American edition), Philip Schaff (also credited as editor), Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I, I have included in this volume the four books of St. Augustin On Christian Doctrine. It is the first and best patristic work on biblical Hermeneutics, and continued for a thousand years, together with the Prefaces of Jerome, to be the chief exegetical guide. Although it is superseded as a scientific work by modern Hermeneutics and Critical Introductions to the Old and New Testaments, it is not surpassed for originality, depth and spiritual insight.
Usage has restricted the meaning of hermeneutics to the science of Biblical exegesis, that is, to the collection of rules which govern the right interpretation of Sacred Scripture. Exegesis is therefore related to hermeneutics, as language is to grammar, or as reasoning is to logic.
1913, Anthony John Maas, “Hermeneutics”, in Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Ancient Greekἑρμηνευτῐκός“of or for interpreting”
- Englishhermeneutics
From Ancient Greek ἑρμηνευτῐκός (hermēneutĭkós, “of or for interpreting”), from ἑρμηνεύω (hermēneúō, “translate, interpret”), from ἑρμηνεύς (hermēneús, “translator, interpreter”); sometimes ascribed as a Carian loanword. By surface analysis, hermeneutic + -s. Folk etymology suggests a connection with Hermes. The term was introduced c. 360 BCE by Aristotle in his text Perì Hermeneías (On Interpretation).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans hermeneutiek
- hermeneutiekart and science of text interpretation
Ancient Greek ἑρμηνεία
- ἑρμηνεία (hermēneía)art and science of text interpretation
Arabic عِلْم التَّأْوِيل, هِرْمِنْيُوطِيقَا
- عِلْم التَّأْوِيل (ʕilm at-taʔwīl)art and science of text interpretation
- هِرْمِنْيُوطِيقَا (hirminyūṭīqā)art and science of text interpretation
Bulgarian херменевтика
- херменевтика (hermenevtika)art and science of text interpretation
Catalan hermenèutica
- hermenèuticaart and science of text interpretation
Chinese Mandarin 解釋學 /解释学, 詮釋學 /诠释学
- 解釋學 /解释学 (jiěshìxué)art and science of text interpretation
- 詮釋學 /诠释学 (quánshìxué)art and science of text interpretation
Czech hermeneutika
- hermeneutikaart and science of text interpretation
Danish hermeneutik
- hermeneutikart and science of text interpretation
Dutch hermeneutiek
- hermeneutiekart and science of text interpretation
Esperanto hermeneŭtiko
- hermeneŭtikoart and science of text interpretation
Estonian hermeneutika
- hermeneutikaart and science of text interpretation
Finnish hermeneutiikka
- hermeneutiikkaart and science of text interpretation
French herméneutique
- herméneutiqueart and science of text interpretation
German Hermeneutik
- Hermeneutikart and science of text interpretation
Greek ερμηνευτική
- ερμηνευτική (ermineftikí)art and science of text interpretation
Hebrew הֶרְמֶנוֹיְטִיקָה, פַּרְשָׁנוּת
- הֶרְמֶנוֹיְטִיקָה (hermenóytika)art and science of text interpretation
- פַּרְשָׁנוּת (parshanút)art and science of text interpretation
Hungarian hermeneutika
- hermeneutikaart and science of text interpretation
Indonesian hermeneutik
- hermeneutikart and science of text interpretation
Irish heirméineotaic
- heirméineotaicart and science of text interpretation
Italian ermeneutica
- ermeneuticaart and science of text interpretation
Japanese 解釈学
- 解釈学 (kaishakugaku)art and science of text interpretation
Korean 해석학
- 해석학 (haeseokhak)art and science of text interpretation
Latin hermeneutica
- hermeneuticaart and science of text interpretation
Latvian hermeneitika
- hermeneitikaart and science of text interpretation
Lithuanian hermeneutika
- hermeneutikaart and science of text interpretation
Malay hermeneutik
- hermeneutikart and science of text interpretation
Norwegian Bokmål hermeneutikk
- hermeneutikkart and science of text interpretation
Persian هرمنوتیک
- هرمنوتیکart and science of text interpretation
Polish hermeneutyka
- hermeneutykaart and science of text interpretation
Portuguese hermenêutica
- hermenêuticaart and science of text interpretation
Romanian hermeneutică
- hermeneuticăart and science of text interpretation
Russian гермене́втика
- гермене́втика (germenévtika)art and science of text interpretation
Slovak hermeneutika
- hermeneutikaart and science of text interpretation
Spanish hermenéutica
- hermenéuticaart and science of text interpretation
Swedish hermeneutik
- hermeneutikart and science of text interpretation
Tagalog palaliwatang-Bibliya, palaliwatan
- palaliwatang-Bibliyaart and science of text interpretation
- palaliwatanart and science of text interpretation
Thai อรรถปริวรรตศาสตร์
- อรรถปริวรรตศาสตร์ (àt bpà-rí-wát sàat)art and science of text interpretation
Turkish hermenötik
- hermenötikart and science of text interpretation
Ukrainian герменевтика
- герменевтика (hermenevtyka)art and science of text interpretation
Vietnamese thông diễn học, thuyên thích học
- thông diễn họcart and science of text interpretation
- thuyên thích họcart and science of text interpretation
- thuyên thích luậnart and science of text interpretation
Welsh esboniadaeth
- esboniadaethart and science of text interpretation
Cite this entry
hermeneutics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutics
“hermeneutics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutics. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hermeneutics,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hermeneutics.
Source: hermeneutics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.