philosopher

noun

phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈlä-s(ə-)fər 

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

Come for the lowdown on Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa, stay for the riff on English philosopher Jeremy Bentham. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026

At the core of the book is a dialogue between the first-person narrator, Thomas More, and the seafaring philosopher Raphael Hythlodaeus. — Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026

Still, the most potent answer to the inquisitorial impulses emanating from Prussian Königsberg came from the French philosopher Benjamin Constant. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

The great Florentine philosopher didn’t simply create a how-to-rule handbook. — Michael Anton, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing philosopher

• philosopher's stone

Kids Definition

philosopher

noun

phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈläs-(ə-)fər 

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