casuist
[ kazh-oo-ist ]
/ ˈkæʒ u ɪst /
noun
an oversubtle or disingenuous reasoner, especially in questions of morality.
a person who studies and resolves moral problems of judgment or conduct arising in specific situations.
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Nearby words
casualness, casualty, casualty insurance, casualwear, casuarina, casuist, casuistic, casuistry, casus belli, cat, cat and mouse
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for casuist
British Dictionary definitions for casuist
casuist
/ (ˈkæzjʊɪst) /
noun
a person, esp a theologian, who attempts to resolve moral dilemmas by the application of general rules and the careful distinction of special cases
a person who is oversubtle in his or her analysis of fine distinctions; sophist
Derived Formscasuistic or casuistical, adjectivecasuistically, adverb
Word Origin for casuist
C17: from French casuiste, from Spanish casuista, from Latin cāsus case 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for casuist
casuist
c.1600, "one who studies and resolves cases of conscience," from French casuiste (17c.) or Spanish casuista (the French word also might be from Spanish), Italian casista, all from Latin casus (see case (n.1)) in its Medieval Latin sense "case of conscience." Often since 17c. in a sinister or contemptuous sense. Related: Casuistic; casuistical; casuistically; casuistry.
Casuistry ... destroys, by distinctions and exceptions, all morality, and effaces the essential difference between right and wrong. [Bolingbroke, 1736]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper