eisegesis

American

[ahy-si-jee-sis] / ˌaɪ sɪˈdʒi sɪs /

noun

plural

eisegeses

an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text.

eisegesis British

/ ˌaɪsəˈdʒiːsɪs /

noun

the interpretation of a text, esp a biblical text, using one's own ideas Compare exegesis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

eisegetic adjective
eisegetical adjective

Etymology

Origin of eisegesis

1890–95; < Greek eisḗgesis, equivalent to eis- into + ( h ) ēge- (stem of hēgeîsthai to lead) + -sis -sis

Compare meaning

How does eisegesis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

exegesis vs. eisegesis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We’re usually more comfortable engaging in exegesis – reading out of the original text for its relevancy to the world today – than eisegesis – reading modern interpretations into the original text.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023