philosopher

noun

phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈlä-s(ə-)fər How to pronounce philosopher (audio)
1
a
: a person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment : scholar, thinker
b
: a student of philosophy
2
a
: a person whose philosophical perspective makes meeting trouble with equanimity easier
b
: an expounder of a theory in a particular area of experience
c
: one who philosophizes

Examples of philosopher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are poignant quotes from philosophers and figurines inspired by The Buddha, while neon lights cast a pinkish hue throughout the space and loud rock music fills the air. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Few figures shine as brightly as Galileo Galilei, an Italian philosopher whose contributions to astronomy revolutionized the understanding of the stars. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 After all, many educators and philosophers consider the writing process, which requires synthesizing information, to be a cornerstone of critical thinking – one that people are wary of outsourcing to AI. Ulrich Boser, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 In 2017, The New Yorker called Benatar the world’s most pessimistic philosopher, a distinction perhaps previously claimed by Schopenhauer, who wrote, in 1851: Would not a man rather have so much sympathy with the coming generation as to spare it the burden of existence? Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 The director was also inspired by reading philosopher Gillian Rose. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Ancient texts, including passages from fourth-century-B.C.E. Greek philosopher Theophrastus, who was writing contemporaneously to the Etruscan era, speak of the skills of Etruscans in the use of medicinal plants. Elizabeth Heath, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2024 From there, Harrison studied writings by and about King, and by the philosophers King admired. Chris Vognar, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 There’s something rhythmic to Athenian gossip, with TV-star names merging with Greek phonemes and the names of islands, ships, and ancient philosophers. Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'philosopher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English philosophe, philosophre, from Anglo-French, from Latin philosophus, from Greek philosophos, from phil- + sophia wisdom, from sophos wise

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of philosopher was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near philosopher

Cite this Entry

“Philosopher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosopher. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

philosopher

noun
phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈläs-(ə-)fər How to pronounce philosopher (audio)
1
a
: a person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment : scholar, thinker
b
: a student of philosophy
2
: a person who is calm and patient when faced with trouble
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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