English
ecclesiast
Ecclesiast comes from Ancient Greek ἐκκλησιαστής, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call out to’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-1‘to call out to’root named by Wiktionary
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐκκλησιαστής1ekklēsiastḗs
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEecclēsiastēs1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ecclesiaste1
- Englishearliest quotation 2006ecclesiast1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English ecclesiast
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2006, Richard Higgins, Gods Agenda with 2006 Apocalypse Calendar: “... way of Grace, Charity, and this new way…”.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-Wiktionary, English ecclesiast‘to call out to’root named by Wiktionary
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἐκκλησιαστήςWiktionary, English ecclesiastekklēsiastḗs
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEecclēsiastēsWiktionary, English ecclesiast
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ecclesiasteWiktionary, English ecclesiast
- Englishearliest quotation 2006ecclesiastWiktionary, English ecclesiast. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2006, Richard Higgins, Gods Agenda with 2006 Apocalypse Calendar: “... way of Grace, Charity, and this new way…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call out to’
low, hell, clear, claim, classic, calendar, haul, claire, clarity, declare, reconciliation, clarification, proclamation, reconcile, clarinet, exclamation, classify, reclamation, squeal, clarion, claret, irreconcilable, clamor, clamour, clas, conciliar, 37 more
Today it means
noun A member of the Athenian ecclesia (public legislative assembly).
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “ecclesiast”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- / ecclesiast