Pythagorean

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noun

Py·​thag·​o·​re·​an pə-ˌtha-gə-ˈrē-ən 

(ˌ)pī-

: any of a group professing to be followers of the Greek philosopher Pythagoras

Pythagorean

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adjective

: of, relating to, or associated with the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, his philosophy, or the Pythagoreans

Examples of Pythagorean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The mathematical study of tones dates at least as far back as the 5th century BCE Pythagorean philosophers of ancient Greece, but there is still a lot to learn about the numbers behind the notes. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Feb. 2026

That expectation, based on Pythagorean winning percentage, is traditionally more predictive of future results than a simple win-loss record. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 14 May 2025

Whether an educator taught your child their ABCs or the Pythagorean theorem, this week is a chance to return the gratitude. — Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 6 May 2025

Instead, the pair of students used a trigonometric rule called the Law of Sines, which does not rely on the Pythagorean theorem. — Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The team’s Pythagorean record — based on runs scored and runs allowed — is 26-34. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 June 2026

Yet Toronto outperformed its 88-win Pythagorean record by six games. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

The resulting ratings allow analysts to estimate the probability that one team would defeat another on a neutral court using the Pythagorean expectation formula. — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026

Yet their queries extend beyond asking a chatbot to define the Pythagorean theorem or to explain the significance of Boo Radley’s character in To Kill a Mockingbird. — Jake Angelo, Fortune, 25 Feb. 2026

But perhaps most special of all is that three, four, and five are an example of what's called a Pythagorean triple. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 16 Sep. 2025

But his two Cubs teams are -7 in the Pythagorean standings, with too many wins getting away from them. — Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1531, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1579, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Pythagorean

• Pythagorean theorem