Word
Definition
n. a person who writes essays, especially short pieces about life, ideas or culture for magazines and books.
n. a writer of essays, especially short literary or journalistic prose on cultural, political, or personal subjects.
Examples
“She works as an essayist for a monthly magazine.”
“The young essayist writes about city life and publishes her pieces in national newspapers.”
“The acclaimed essayist blends memoir and criticism to explore how technology reshapes memory and attention.”
Examples
simple
“She works as an essayist for a monthly magazine.”
contextual
“The young essayist writes about city life and publishes her pieces in national newspapers.”
complex
“The acclaimed essayist blends memoir and criticism to explore how technology reshapes memory and attention.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “essayist” in context.
Verb
01. cite essayist
“Scholars frequently cite the essayist in debates about national identity.”
verb + noun
02. essayist argues
“The essayist argues that attention is the rarest form of generosity.”
noun + verb
03. essayist explores
“The essayist explores the tension between tradition and innovation.”
noun + verb
04. essayist observes
“The essayist observes how cities change the way people remember.”
noun + verb
05. essayist reflects
“The essayist reflects on ageing, friendship and creative work.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. acclaimed essayist
“The acclaimed essayist won a prize for her reflections on migration and identity.”
adj + noun
07. contemporary essayist
“The contemporary essayist writes sharply about social media and modern life.”
adj + noun
08. influential essayist
“As an influential essayist, he shaped debates about culture and democracy.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. essayist and critic
“He worked as an essayist and critic for several leading journals.”
noun + conj + noun
10. essayist and novelist
“She is both an essayist and novelist, moving between fact and fiction.”
noun + conj + noun
11. fellow essayist
“She praised her fellow essayist for his wit and intellectual honesty.”
noun + noun
12. established herself as an essayist
“After years of journalism, she established herself as an essayist.”
Real-World Examples
“Milton Himmelfarb, a leading essayist for Commentary and other publications who was known for his well wrought and witty observations on Jewish affairs, died on Jan. 4 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.” “The essayist, novelist, and editor, known for his recent work 'The Contemporary American Essay,' expressed his strong feelings about Holden Caulfield, stating, “He greatly annoyed me.” Etymology
From essay + -ist.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/essayist
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0