Essayers

/ɛˈseɪərz/ noun

Definition

Plural of essayer; multiple people who write essays or attempt experimental works.

Etymology

Plural form of essayer, adding -s to the French-rooted agent noun meaning 'one who attempts.'

Kelly Says

The plural 'essayers' is so rare that most people would just say 'essayists' instead—it's a word that almost got squeezed out of English by a fancier French-sounding alternative!

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Plural form of 'essayer' carries forward the gendered linguistic patterns of the singular, reflecting historical assumptions about who authors experimental prose.

Inclusive Usage

Replace with 'essayists' or 'essay writers' for modern clarity and inclusivity.

Inclusive Alternatives

["essayists","essay writers","practitioners"]

Empowerment Note

Women essayists including Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin's contemporaries, and contemporary writers have been systematically underrepresented in canonical essay collections, though they pioneered the form in many traditions.

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