Word
exegesis
Phoneticsex·e·ge·sis
UK/ɛɡzɪdʒˈiːsɪs/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a careful explanation of a difficult text, especially a religious book like the Bible. You use it when someone studies the words closely to show what they really mean.
n. a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture. Often contrasts with eisegesis, which reads meaning into a text rather than drawing meaning out of it.
Examples
“The teacher gives a short exegesis of the poem.”
“In Sunday school, the pastor offers an exegesis of the passage to explain its historical background.”
“Her published exegesis traces the parable through early manuscripts, showing how translation choices shaped later readings of mercy and duty.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher gives a short exegesis of the poem.”
contextual
“In Sunday school, the pastor offers an exegesis of the passage to explain its historical background.”
complex
“Her published exegesis traces the parable through early manuscripts, showing how translation choices shaped later readings of mercy and duty.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “exegesis” in context.
Verb
01. engage in exegesis
“Scholars engage in exegesis to clarify obscure ancient texts.”
verb + prep + noun
02. exegesis demonstrates
“This exegesis demonstrates how context shapes interpretation.”
noun + verb
03. exegesis reveals
“Careful exegesis reveals layers of meaning in the passage.”
noun + verb
04. exegesis suggests
“Recent exegesis suggests a different authorship for the epistle.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. allegorical exegesis
“Medieval scholars favoured allegorical exegesis of the Song of Songs.”
adj + noun
06. biblical exegesis
“The seminar focused on biblical exegesis of the Gospel of John.”
adj + noun
07. critical exegesis
“Her dissertation offers rigorous critical exegesis of Genesis.”
adj + noun
08. feminist exegesis
“Feminist exegesis reinterprets familiar passages from women's perspectives.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. exegesis of scripture
“The professor taught exegesis of scripture to graduate students.”
noun + prep + noun
10. method of exegesis
“Historical criticism remains a dominant method of exegesis.”
noun + prep + noun
11. a work of biblical exegesis
“Augustine's treatise remains a foundational work of biblical exegesis.”
12. engage in close exegesis
“Seminarians learn to engage in close exegesis of Greek texts.”
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐξήγησις (exḗgēsis, “interpretation”), from ἐξηγέομαι (exēgéomai, “I explain, interpret”), from ἐξ (ex, “out”) + ἡγέομαι (hēgéomai, “I lead, guide”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- 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.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL 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: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/exegesis