Ecclesiastes

noun

Ec·​cle·​si·​as·​tes i-ˌklē-zē-ˈa-(ˌ)stēz 

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

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

Kids Definition

Ecclesiastes

noun

Ec·​cle·​si·​as·​tes ik-ˌlē-zē-ˈas-(ˌ)tēz 

e-ˌklē-

: a book of wisdom literature in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see bible