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originalist

American

[uh-rij-uhn-uhl-ist] / əˈrɪdʒ ən əl ɪst /

noun

U.S., Law. a person who supports or is guided by originalism.

adjective

U.S., Law. supporting, arising from, or relating to originalism.

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.

The past year has produced an explosion of originalist scholarship on both sides.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The justices are now in a good position to decide which side has presented the stronger originalist case.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

It left me to wonder if being a baseball traditionalist makes me the equivalent of a Supreme Court Justice originalist, or just old and cranky?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2025

Pryor’s decision is doggedly originalist, a meticulous history lesson that proves the constitutionality of Florida’s ban beyond all reasonable doubt.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2025

But in characterizing originalism as a “trap” and situating it historically, Dennie's analysis cuts deeper into the harm caused by originalist doctrine, without sacrificing nuance, rigor or scope.

From Salon • Jul. 14, 2024

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