Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lower criticism

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.40 in modern English

Syllables: low-er -crit-i-cism
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

5

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Synonym of textual criticism (“scientific reconstruction of original historical texts”).

Dated; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Nor should it be forgotten in this connection that the conclusions of the Lower Criticism respecting the text were at first as vehemently assailed as are those of the Higher Criticism respecting the contents of Scripture, and from similar premises."

Etymology

Calque of German niedere Kritik. In contrast to higher criticism, i.e. historical criticism, the broader interpretation of texts as historical sources, understood as building on the results of “lower criticism”.

Usage

Synonyms

textual criticism

Questions

What does lower criticism mean?: Synonym of textual criticism (“scientific reconstruction of original historical texts”).
Where does lower criticism come from?: Calque of German niedere Kritik. In contrast to higher criticism, i.e. historical criticism, the broader interpretation of texts as historical sources, understood as building on the results of “lower criticism”.

How to pronounce lower criticism

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