hermeneutic

See also: hermenèutic

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • enPR: hûr′-mə-n(y)o͞o-tĭk
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌhɜː.məˈn(j)uː.tɪk/
    • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˌhɜɹ.məˈn(j)u.tɪk/
  • (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˌhɜː.məˈn(j)ʉː.tɪk/
  • (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˌhøː.məˈn(j)ʉː.tək/
  • (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˌhɛɹ.məˈn(j)ʉ.tɪk/
  • (India) IPA(key): /ˌhɜːʳ.meˈn(j)uː.ʈik/
  • Rhymes: -uːtɪk
  • Hyphenation: her‧me‧neu‧tic

Adjective

hermeneutic (not comparable)

  1. (humanities, theology) Having to do with hermeneutics; that explains, interprets, illustrates or elucidates texts, especially holy texts.
    Alternative form: hermeneutical
    Near-synonyms: exegetic, exegetical
    • 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[1], volume 46, numbers 3-4; 183-184, Mouton., page 586:
      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.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

hermeneutic (plural hermeneutics)

  1. (humanities, theology) A particular theory of hermeneutics; a particular method of interpretation of text, especially holy texts.
    Synonym: exegesis
    • 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:
      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.

Translations

Further reading

Romanian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from French herméneutique.

Adjective

hermeneutic m or n (feminine singular hermeneutică, masculine plural hermeneutici, feminine/neuter plural hermeneutice)

  1. hermeneutic, hermeneutical

Declension

Declension of hermeneutic
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative-
accusative
indefinite hermeneutic hermeneutică hermeneutici hermeneutice
definite hermeneuticul hermeneutica hermeneuticii hermeneuticele
genitive-
dative
indefinite hermeneutic hermeneutice hermeneutici hermeneutice
definite hermeneuticului hermeneuticei hermeneuticilor hermeneuticelor

References