pluralists
|plu-ral-ists|
🇺🇸
/ˈplʊrəlɪsts/
🇬🇧
/ˈplʊərəlɪsts/
(pluralist)
supporter of more-than-one/coexistence
Etymology
'pluralist' originates from English formation combining 'plural' + the agent suffix '-ist'; 'plural' itself comes from Latin 'pluralis', where 'plus' meant 'more'.
'plural' comes from Latin 'pluralis' (from 'plus' meaning 'more'); English 'plural' was borrowed via Old French/Latin developments, and the agent-forming suffix '-ist' (from Greek/Latin influence) was added in English to form 'pluralist'.
Initially connected to the notion of 'more' or 'more than one' from Latin; over time the compound 'pluralist' came to mean specifically 'someone who supports or practices pluralism' (social, political, religious) and also had an older ecclesiastical sense for holders of multiple benefices.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
people who support or believe in pluralism — the view that multiple groups, opinions, or identities should coexist and share power in society or politics.
Pluralists argue that a healthy democracy requires representation of diverse groups and voices.
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Noun 2
people who accept religious or philosophical pluralism — the belief that more than one religion, worldview, or fundamental principle can be valid or true.
Some pluralists maintain that different faiths can offer legitimate paths to meaning and truth.
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Noun 3
archaic: people who held more than one church benefice or ecclesiastical office at the same time (historical use: a 'pluralist' in the church).
In the medieval period pluralists often held several benefices simultaneously.
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Last updated: 2025/10/06 09:48