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

When Greenspan was sworn in to his post in the Ford administration, he was joined by Ayn Rand, the philosopher and author whose libertarian approach and laissez-faire economics was a huge influence on his career. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 22 June 2026

Members can explore new ideas from the neuroscientists, entrepreneurs, artists, philosophers, and other innovators shaping the future. —Big Think, 18 June 2026

The colors, pains, pleasures, smells, tastes and sounds, the what-it’s-like of being conscious, are not private inner bits and blobs that philosophers call qualia, floating in a theatre of the mind. —Andréa Morris, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Basketball is a game of flow state, constant movement, and spacing of players and the ball — within 24 seconds, what a German philosopher might call being in time. —Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 15 June 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