pilpul
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pilpul
1890–95; < Aramaic, Hebrew pilpūl, akin to pilpēl to search, debate
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.
At least the scholar had his pilpul to keep him alive.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
I was suddenly a little frightened at the disparaging way I had uttered the word pilpul.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
“Tell me, Reuven”—that was the first time he had ever called me by my first name—“why is it pilpul? What is wrong with his explanation?”
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
A later commentary tried to reconcile the three commentaries by the method of pilpul, the result being a happy one for someone who enjoyed pilpul but quite strained as far as I was concerned.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
But in the course of time the casuistic method, originally a mere pastime, became the approved method of study, and produced what is known as pilpul.
From The Haskalah Movement in Russia by Raisin, Jacob S.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
