hermeneutics

UK/ˌhɜːmɪˈnjuːtɪks//ˌhɜːrməˌn(j)uːtɪks/

hermeneutics noun: the 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.

Noun

hermeneutics (countable and uncountable, plural hermeneutics)

The 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 50
- 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 Although it is superseded as a...1885, Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (original translators and editors), Arthur Cleveland Coxe (editor of American edition), Philip Schaff (also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...

hermeneutics meaning in Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Tagalog

hermeneutics in Tamil

அக்கலையின் அணுகுமுறை இயல், உரையியல், உரைக் கோட்பாடுகள்

hermeneutics in Urdu

فن تشریح

hermeneutics in Bengali

ব্যাখ্যাতত্ত্ব, দার্শনিক

hermeneutics in Tagalog

art and science of text interpretation: palaliwatang-Bibliya, palaliwatan

More languagesFewer languages

hermeneutics in Arabic: عِلْم التَّأْوِيل ʕilm at-taʔwīl, هِرْمِنْيُوطِيقَا hirminyūṭīqā
hermeneutics in Malay: hermeneutik
hermeneutics in Indonesian: hermeneutik
hermeneutics in Persian: هرمنوتیک
hermeneutics in Thai: อรรถปริวรรตศาสตร์ àt bpà-rí-wát sàat
hermeneutics in Vietnamese: thông diễn học, thuyên thích học, thuyên thích luận

Forms of hermeneutics

plural	hermeneutics

Origin of hermeneutics

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).

Words formed from hermeneutics

Questions about hermeneutics

What does hermeneutics mean?: Hermeneutics means the 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.
What is hermeneutics in Tamil?: Hermeneutics in Tamil is அக்கலையின் அணுகுமுறை இயல், உரையியல், உரைக் கோட்பாடுகள். See Hermeneutics meaning in Tamil.
What part of speech is hermeneutics?: Hermeneutics is a noun.
How do you pronounce hermeneutics?: Hermeneutics is pronounced /ˌhɜːmɪˈnjuːtɪks/ (UK).
What is the plural of hermeneutics?: The plural of hermeneutics is hermeneutics.

Words near hermeneutics in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: hermeneutics (page history and authors); hermeneutics (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); hermeneutics (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); hermeneutics (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-hermeneutics.ogg.

Cite this entry: “hermeneutics.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/hermeneutics. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.