pluralist
|plu-ral-ist|
🇺🇸
/ˈplʊrəlɪst/
🇬🇧
/ˈplʊərəlɪst/
supporter of more-than-one/coexistence
Etymology
'pluralist' originates from English, formed from the word 'plural' plus the agentive suffix '-ist', where 'plural' ultimately comes from Latin 'pluralis' meaning 'more than one' and '-ist' denotes 'one who advocates or practices'.
'plural' comes from Latin 'pluralis' (from 'plur-' / 'plures' meaning 'more (of several)') and passed into Old French as 'pluriel' before entering Middle English as 'plural'; the modern English formation 'pluralist' was created by adding the suffix '-ist' to 'plural'.
Initially, 'plural' simply described 'more than one'; over time the derived form 'pluralist' came to mean 'one who supports or practices plurality' and, in specific historical contexts, 'one who holds multiple church benefices'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who believes in or advocates pluralism — the acceptance or coexistence of multiple groups, values, or sources of authority in society, politics, or culture.
As a pluralist, she argued that the city should support many cultural traditions rather than trying to make them uniform.
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Noun 2
(Historical/clerical) A person who holds more than one ecclesiastical benefice or church office at the same time.
In the 17th century, the term pluralist was sometimes used critically of clergy who held several parishes.
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Adjective 1
relating to or characterized by pluralism (accepting or supporting multiple perspectives, sources of authority, or cultural identities).
They promoted a pluralist approach to education that welcomed students from diverse backgrounds.
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Last updated: 2025/10/29 04:41