Exegesis
noun /ˌek.sɪˈdʒiː.sɪs/ — Critical explanation and interpretation of a text
Definition
Detailed critical explanation or interpretation of a text — particularly a religious or literary one — drawing out all possible meaning through careful analysis.
Beyond the definition
The act of taking a text seriously enough to give it your full intelligence. Exegesis is what happens when you refuse to read superficially.
Origin & history
From Greek 'exēgeisthai' (to lead out, to interpret) — 'ex' (out) + 'hēgeisthai' (to guide). To guide the meaning out of the text.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The seminary required years of rigorous exegesis before students were trusted to teach.
She brought the same exegesis to her contracts that scholars bring to scripture.
Exegesis is the art of listening harder than the text is speaking.
Synonyms
interpretation, commentary, analysis, hermeneutics, textual criticism
Antonyms
eisegesis, misreading
Related words
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Archivist examining heavy ancient volumes
An adult stands in a quiet archive, holding an open, heavy book filled with handwritten records amidst dim light and dust.
The archivist’s careful study of the record is a form of exegesis. By analyzing the handwritten text with such devotion, they are drawing out every possible meaning and context from the record, providing a critical explanation of the past.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration