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

However, neuroscientists and other members of the natural sciences as well as philosophers continue to try to nail down how consciousness accounts for attributes that collectively define us as humans — and that might define a future AI. — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026

Somehow, as a great philosopher named Vanilla Ice was about to say, in his October film classic Cool As Ice, the audience decided to drop that zero and get with the hero. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2026

In other words, a young philosopher in the Department of Philosophy in one of the most prestigious universities in the world had failed to digest what Galileo had understood four centuries ago! — Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026

Pola recounts that paradox the way the philosopher originally conceived it—as a puzzle about the nature of reality. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 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