hermeneutic

[ hur-muh-noo-tik, -nyoo- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to hermeneutics; interpretative; explanatory.

hermeneutic

/ ˌhɜːmɪˈnjuːtɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the interpretation of Scripture; using or relating to hermeneutics
2. interpretive

Derived Forms

• ˌhermeˈneutist, noun
• ˌhermeˈneutically, adverb

Other Words From

• her·me·neu·ti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hermeneutic¹

1800–10; < Greek hermēneutikós of, skilled in, interpreting, equivalent to hermēneú(ein ) to make clear, interpret (derivative of hermēneús an interpreter, itself derivative of Hermês Hermes ) + -tikos -tic

Example Sentences

In his book The hermeneutic of hope, he recalled how he had fought against a view prevalent among many faithful at the time that "we are born to suffer".

From BBC

The book became a manifesto for evangelical feminism, using a hermeneutic analysis of the Bible, interpreting the text by noting the context in which it was written and extrapolating its tenets to modern life.

From New York Times

At this point in the book, this looks less like a hermeneutic move than like an expected reality.

From The New Yorker

I’ll grant that “hermeneutic” isn’t an everyday word, and the way it was used in Christopher Buskirk’s April 18 op-ed, “The GOP’s political renaissance,” didn’t lend itself to understanding through context.

From Washington Post

Wrapped in hermeneutic enigmas, the objects emanate a poignant mix of beauty and mystery.

From Wall Street Journal