🇫🇷French Source WordCode: FR

casuistique

Pronunciation / Transliteration: ka.zɥis.tik

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Casuistic/ˌkæʒuˈɪstɪk/
adjectiveCEFR C2 (Proficient)Top #15400 frequency
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🇫🇷 Example Sentence in French:

"Son argumentation casuistique n'a convaincu personne."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Involving or relating to the resolution of moral problems by the application of general ethical principles to specific cases, often used pejoratively to imply sophisticated but misleading reasoning.

    "His casuistic defense of the policy relied entirely on semantic technicalities rather than ethical substance."
  2. 2

    Specious, subtle, or overly clever in argument, especially in a way that avoids fundamental truths.

    "She dismissed the committee's explanations as mere casuistic rationalizations."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Late Latin 'casus' (a case or occasion) via French 'casuistique', referring to the theological method of resolving moral problems by applying general principles to specific cases. Over time, the term evolved from a respected method of ethical analysis to often carry a pejorative connotation denoting overly subtle, sophistical, or rationalizing argument.

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