Ecclesiastes

noun

Ec·​cle·​si·​as·​tes i-ˌklē-zē-ˈa-(ˌ)stēz How to pronounce Ecclesiastes (audio)
e-ˌklē-
: a book of wisdom literature in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see Bible Table

Examples of Ecclesiastes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The couple explains that this is representative of Ecclesiastes 4:12. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 16 June 2025 Another manuscript, with verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes, also dates older, Popović added. Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 7 June 2025 And Ecclesiastes was likely completed by an anonymous author in the third century BCE, rather than by King Solomon in the 10th century BCE. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2025 Aspects of existentialism can also be found in much older sources revered in European intellectual traditions, such as the biblical books of Ecclesiastes and Job and the thinking of Greek Cynics such as Diogenes. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 June 2025 Members of the New York Philharmonic played Verdi and two grandchildren read from Ecclesiastes and Revelation. Air Mail, 29 Mar. 2025 In the autumn of his life, Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes. Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2025 Scheffler is a deeply religious man of Christian beliefs and the response smacked of Ecclesiastes. Brendan Quinn, The Athletic, 4 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin Ecclēsiastēs, borrowed from Greek Ekklēsiastḗs, from ekklēsiastḗs "participant in an assembly of citizens" (adapted by the Septuagint translators as a rendering of Hebrew qōheleth, named in the title verse as the author of the Biblical book), from ekklēsiázein "to hold a public assembly, be a member of the assembly" (verbal derivative of ekklēsía "assembly of citizens") + -tēs, agent suffix — more at ecclesial

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Ecclesiastes was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ecclesiastes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ecclesiastes. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Ecclesiastes

noun
Ec·​cle·​si·​as·​tes ik-ˌlē-zē-ˈas-(ˌ)tēz How to pronounce Ecclesiastes (audio)
e-ˌklē-
: a book of wisdom literature in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see bible

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