casuist

[kazh-oo-ist]

noun

1. an oversubtle or disingenuous reasoner, especially in questions of morality.

2. a person who studies and resolves moral problems of judgment or conduct arising in specific situations.

casuist

/ ˈkæzjʊɪst /

noun

1. a person, esp a theologian, who attempts to resolve moral dilemmas by the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases

2. a person who is oversubtle in his or her analysis of fine distinctions; sophist

Other Word Forms

• casuistic adjective
• casuistically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of casuist¹

1600–10; < Spanish casuista < Latin cāsu ( s ) case ¹ + -ista -ist

Word History and Origins

Origin of casuist¹

C17: from French casuiste, from Spanish casuista, from Latin cāsus _case ¹

Example Sentences

Indeed, for at least a decade, the media landscape has been littered with casuist puff-pieces with headlines like:

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Good native casuists, on whom I can place every reliance, tell me that possibly this may somehow or other affect the title of the others.

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I see, Madam," said the good prelate, "what the case is: some of your casuists forbid rouge totally; others will permit you to wear as much as you please.

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The boy's reason, for a moment, asserted its own majesty, at the broaching of this wild doctrine; and he returned an instant answer to the preacher which would have confounded a less practised casuist.

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It has however, furnished ample scope for dispute to our casuists and theologians.

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Related Words

• bigot 
• charlatan 
• crook 
• impostor 
• phony 
• trickster