essayist

noun

es·​say·​ist ˈe-ˌsā-ist How to pronounce essayist (audio)
Synonyms of essayistnext
: a writer of essays

Examples of essayist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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One of the first people to strongly encourage Crane to write the book was Joe Queenan, a prolific essayist and columnist for the Wall Street Journal. Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026 Cyraina Johnson-Roullier is an associate professor of modern literature and literature of the Americas at the University of Notre Dame, as well as an author and essayist. Cyraina Johnson-Roullier, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026 The essayist, novelist and farmer, 91, is interviewed off camera in the film, his deep, rumbling voice grounding the documentary with words of wisdom. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Mar. 2026 The collaboration between the Hollywood actor and the celebrated essayist sounds like its own meet-cute, and the origin story is almost as entertaining as the book promises to be. Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for essayist

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of essayist was in 1601

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Cite this Entry

“Essayist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essayist. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

essayist

noun
es·​say·​ist ˈes-ˌā-əst How to pronounce essayist (audio)
: a writer of essays

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