peripatetic

noun peri·pa·tet·ic \ ˌper-ə-pə-ˈte-tik \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of peripatetic

1 capitalized : a follower of Aristotle or adherent of Aristotelianism

2 : pedestrian, itinerant

3 peripatetics play \ˌper-ə-pə-ˈte-tiks\ plural : movement or journeys hither and thither

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First Known Use of peripatetic

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Philosophy Terms

dialectic, dualism, epistemology, existentialism, metaphysics, ontology, sequitur, solipsism, transcendentalism

peripatetic

adjective

Definition of peripatetic

1 capitalized : aristotelian

2 a : of, relating to, or given to walking

b : moving or traveling from place to place : itinerant

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peripatetically

play \ˌper-ə-pə-ˈte-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Peripateticism

play \ˌper-ə-pə-ˈte-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

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Examples of peripatetic in a Sentence

She worked as a peripatetic journalist for most of her life.
He had a peripatetic career as a salesman.

Recent Examples of peripatetic from the Web

There, Prior helped revitalize the career of Olaf Kolzig, a peripatetic goaltender who spent the better half of his first eight years as a pro in the minors.

— matt rybaltowski, New York Times, "A Source of Fleury’s Success in Las Vegas? His New Goaltending Coach," 11 May 2018
So Yeh worked her magic, subtle as well as with capacity to startle, much to the satisfaction of a grateful composer and peripatetic audience.

— alan artner, chicagotribune.com, "CSO musicians perform contemporary chamber works keyed to Art Institute galleries," 8 May 2018
The peripatetic direction isn’t helpful, but the writing is often more pedagogic than naturalistic.

— david wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle, "Nat Geo finds the ‘Genius’ in Picasso.," 20 Apr. 2018
The nostalgia draw for the Mariners’ season opener on Thursday night was supposed to be the return of Ichiro Suzuki, finally back in the Pacific Northwest after six years of peripatetic existence.

— jon tayler, SI.com, "The Old Félix Hernández Showed Up for the Mariners on Opening Day," 30 Mar. 2018
And this spring, Philadelphia Contemporary, the newish and peripatetic arts organization, has moved in for a few months and turned this grand and delicate mansion into something else entirely.

— thomas hine, Philly.com, "'Antipodes' at Lemon Hill shows a way forward: Philly's mansions don't need to be musty antiques," 25 Apr. 2018
Historian Kristen Zschomler is researching Prince's peripatetic childhood in north Minneapolis, where many former homes have been misidentified.

— karen heller, chicagotribune.com, "What would Prince want? Two years later, his estate is a mess and his legacy unclear," 19 Apr. 2018
This is only the latest twist on a peripatetic word that has traveled through many lands and languages.

— ben zimmer, WSJ, "The Journey of ‘Caravan’ From Ancient Camels to Immigrant Tensions," 6 Apr. 2018
While Gordon was born nearly a generation after the Summer of Love, her peripatetic path would fit right into that footloose era.

— andrew gilbert, San Francisco Chronicle, "Janis meets Janis at Ashkenaz in Berkeley," 19 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peripatetic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Are you someone who likes to think on your feet? If so, you've got something in common with the followers of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Not only a thinker and teacher, Aristotle was also a walker, and his students were required to walk along beside him as he lectured while pacing to and fro. Thus it was that the Greek word peripatētikos (from peripatein, meaning "to walk up and down") came to be associated with Aristotle and his followers. By the way, the covered walk in the Lyceum where Aristotle taught was known as the "peripatos" (which can either refer to the act of walking or a place for walking).

Origin and Etymology of peripatetic

Middle French & Latin; Middle French peripatetique, from Latin peripateticus, from Greek peripatētikos, from peripatein to walk up and down, discourse while pacing (as did Aristotle), from peri- + patein to tread; akin to Sanskrit patha path — more at find

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year