1. People who believe that a legal document, especially the U.S. Constitution, should be interpreted according to its original meaning at the time it was written.
Usage: plural form; primarily used in legal and political contexts

Examples

• Originalists argue that the Constitution should be read as the Framers intended.
• Many originalists serve as federal judges and Supreme Court justices.
• The debate between originalists and progressives shapes modern constitutional law.
• Originalists contend that judges should not update the Constitution's meaning over time.
• Some originalists focus on the text itself, while others examine historical context.
• The originalists on the court issued a landmark decision based on the Constitution's original text.