Political Dictionary
Originalism is an approach that interprets constitutional text according to its original public meaning.
Definition
Originalism is a method of constitutional interpretation that emphasizes how the Constitution’s words would have been understood when adopted. Different originalists may focus on original public meaning, original intent, or historical legal usage.
Why It Matters
It influences debates over judicial power, rights, federal authority, and the legitimacy of constitutional change through interpretation.
How It Works
Judges examine text, historical sources, legal usage, and founding-era context to identify original meaning.
History
Originalist arguments have existed since the founding, though modern originalism developed prominently in the late twentieth century.
Example
A court may study eighteenth-century legal dictionaries to interpret a constitutional phrase.
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