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

For Your Senses The healing power of music — long touted by Greek philosophers Aristotle and Pythagoras — lives inside Schermerhorn Symphony Center where the Nashville Symphony and rotating guests perform. —Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

The idea is usually attributed to the German philosopher Theodor Adorno, who observed a growing contradiction and alienation in Beethoven’s later work. —Sheon Han, WIRED, 23 Sep. 2024

The Oxford philosopher Janet Radcliffe Richards notes that this argument, like the one above, proves too much. —Dylan Matthews, Vox, 18 Sep. 2024

Italy's writer and uniter A good place to start explaining everything is Dante himself, a writer and philosopher who was born in 1265 in Florence and died at 56 in Ravenna, 703 years ago Saturday. —Neal Rubin, Detroit Free Press, 15 Sep. 2024

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