scholiast
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈskoʊliˌæst/
- Formal
- The scholiast understood Xenophanes as commenting upon the Oceanus myth.
Examples
-
The scholiast provided insightful comments on the ancient text to help readers understand its meaning.
-
Many famous scholars were also scholiasts, explaining complex ideas in their writings.
-
What fearful tragedies ambush the scholiast!
Fiction book (1991) -
Scholiasts would, with Xerxes, flog the Hellespont to submission.
Fiction book (1991) -
The work of the scholiast was crucial in preserving ancient knowledge for future generations.
Synonyms
1
9.0
A person who explains ideas clearly, often in talks or writing
1
9.9
An old word for an educated writer who writes books about knowledge
1
9.9
A person who explains difficult religious or philosophical texts
A person who writes short notes that explain difficult words in a text
How Expert
Surface Forms
Etymology
Scholiast comes from the Greek scholia, meaning 'comments', and from scholē, meaning 'learning', the same root as English school and scholar. So a scholiast is someone who writes short notes or explanations on old texts, which is why the word means an ancient commentator.