What does jesuit mean?
A Jesuit is a member of the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic religious order established by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1540. The adjective Jesuit describes the order, its members, and institutions or practices associated with it, as in “Jesuit education” or “Jesuit scholarship.” Jesuit communities have contributed to education, missionary work, theology, philosophy, and the sciences, though their historical prominence in court politics and religious controversy has also given the name a critical edge. In modern English, Jesuit can sometimes mean deviously argumentative or adept at evading difficult questions. That figurative sense is usually more disparaging than neutral and should not be confused with a factual description of the religious order. The term derives ultimately from Latin, where the Society's members were associated with the name of Jesus.
A member of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order.
"The Jesuit was appointed rector of the college."
Usually capitalized; the term specifically denotes a member of the Society of Jesus.
Belonging to, associated with, or characteristic of the Society of Jesus or its members.
"They attended a Jesuit college in the city."
Usually capitalized in references to the religious order.
The plural is used for multiple members of the Society of Jesus.
"Jesuits from several countries attended the conference."
The word ultimately means “of Jesus,” although it first emerged as a label imposed by the movement's opponents.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jesuit come from?
The word entered English through French jésuite and Latin Iesuita, a form ultimately based on Iesus, the Latin name of Jesus. The Society of Jesus was so named because its members regarded themselves as especially devoted to Jesus, while opponents sometimes used the derivative Jesuit in a hostile or dismissive sense. Over time, the term came to designate members of the order and, by extension, characteristic features of the order.
Related word forms
How jesuit is actually used
The name is conventionally capitalized. It can be used figuratively in expressions such as “Jesuitical reasoning” to describe unusually subtle, deceptive, or evasive arguments, but such usage may be disparaging and can obscure the distinction between the religious order and a broader criticism of manipulative rhetoric.