textualism

American  

[teks-choo-uh-liz-uhm] / ˈtɛks tʃu əˌlɪz əm /

noun

1. strict adherence to a text, especially of the Scriptures.

2. Law. the doctrine that a legal document or statute should be interpreted by determining the relatively objective ordinary meaning of its words and phrases, without regard to historical context or legislative history.

   Textualism holds, that when applying the law, the words of the Constitution itself are to be the final authority.

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textualism British  

/ ˈtɛkstjʊəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. doctrinaire adherence to a text, esp of the Bible

2. textual criticism, esp of the Bible

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Other Word Forms

• textualist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of textualism

First recorded in 1860–65; textual + -ism

Example Sentences

Textualism, brainchild of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, sounds plausible on the surface.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 8, 2024

A twist on textualism Textualism has traditionally relied heavily on dictionaries.

From The Verge • Jun. 7, 2022

Textualism is focused on the words of the statutes lawmakers have enacted rather than on their intentions or expectations.

From New York Times • May 23, 2022

Textualism requires judges to apply the actual words of a statute rather than, say, legislative history.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2022

Textualism of the Gospels, different from T. of profane writings, 14.

From The Causes of the Corruption of the Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels Being the Sequel to The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels by Miller, Edward