jesuit
jesuit Lexical Profile
jesuit Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A member of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order of men founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534 and noted for its educational, missionary, and charitable works (usually capitalized).
"The early Jesuit missionaries compiled detailed grammars and dictionaries of indigenous languages."
A person given to intrigue, equivocation, or casuistry; a crafty or overly subtle reasoner (archaic and derogatory).
"His political rivals unfairly labeled him a Jesuit for his complex legalistic arguments."
• adjective
Relating to the Society of Jesus, its members, or its educational and theological traditions (usually capitalized).
"She graduated with a degree in philosophy from a prominent Jesuit university."
Word Nuance & Usage
Usually capitalized as 'Jesuit' when referring to the Roman Catholic religious order or its members. Historically, the term and its derivatives ('jesuitical') also acquired a pejorative secondary sense referring to someone who uses equivocal or overly subtle reasoning, which should be avoided in neutral contexts.
• Rhymes for jesuit
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century from French Jésuite or Modern Latin Jesuita, formed from Latin Jesus ('Jesus') + -ita ('-ite'), referring to the Societas Jesu (Society of Jesus) founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.