A philosopher is a person who studies or writes about philosophy.
...the Greek philosopher Plato.
Synonyms: thinker, theorist, sage, wise man More Synonyms of philosopher
2. countable noun
If you refer to someone as a philosopher, you mean that they think deeply and seriously about life and other basic matters.
philosopher in British English
(fɪˈlɒsəfə)
noun
1.
a student, teacher, or devotee of philosophy
2.
a person of philosophical temperament, esp one who is patient, wise, and stoical
3.
(formerly) an alchemist or devotee of occult science
4.
a person who establishes the ideology of a cult or movement
the philosopher of the revolution
philosopher in American English
(fɪˈlɑsəfər)
noun
1.
a person who studies or is an expert in philosophy
2.
a person who lives by or expounds a system of philosophy
3.
a.
a person who meets difficulties with calmness and composure
b.
a person given to philosophizing
Word origin
ME philosophre < OFr philosophe < L philosophus < Gr philosophos < philos, loving + sophos, wise
Examples of 'philosopher' in a sentence
philosopher
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
Other philosophers think of our characters as essentially fixed and given, outside our reflective control.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
There came a time when philosophers of science decided that they really had to know a lot of current science from the inside.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
Great wine maybe, but no great philosophers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But why were the great philosophers obsessed with it, and should we continue to be so?
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
A political philosopher may reasonably wish to produce a book to suit its time of writing.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
THIS Roman philosopher focused his thinking on anger.
The Sun (2013)
I love biographies of the great composers, philosophers and writers.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
A great philosopher said that, not me.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This wise old philosopher was counselor to Bishop Ambrose.
Christianity Today (2000)
To paraphrase one of the great philosophers: we think, therefore we are.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His example has been followed by some of the most influential French and German philosophers.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
But as the French philosopher said, this is all just shell for imagining.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Wild tortoises, no doubt as old as the hills, walk the mountain paths where great philosophers pondered.
The Sun (2015)
His works fill six fairly substantial volumes, making him almost a minimalist compared with many of his fellow German philosophers.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The French philosophers of the eighteenth century not only were familiar with each other's ideas but also were personal friends.
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
To be sure, one need not be a philosopher to think of reasons not to kill a healthy, grown human.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
He included massive doses of reading in all these subjects, not just the great ancient philosophers, but also modern ones.
Arthur Herman THE SCOTTISH ENLIGHTENMENT: The Scots' Invention of the Modern World (2002)
Quotations
It is one of the chief skills of the philosopher not to occupy himself with questions which do not concern himLudwig WittgensteinTractatus Logico-Philosophicus
There is no statement so absurd that no philosopher will make itCiceroDe Divinatione
There was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patientlyWilliam ShakespeareMuch Ado About Nothing
The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change itKarl MarxTheses on Feuerbach
I have tried too in my time to be a philosopher; but, I don't know how, cheerfulness was always breaking inOliver Edwards
what I understand by `philosopher': a terrible explosive in the presence of which everything is in dangerFriedrich NietzscheEcce Homo
In other languages
philosopher
British English: philosopher NOUN
A philosopher is a person who studies or writes about philosophy.
...an ancient philosopher.
American English: philosopher
Brazilian Portuguese: filósofo
Chinese: 哲学家
European Spanish: filósofo
French: philosophe
German: Philosoph
Italian: filosofo
Japanese: 哲学者
Korean: 철학자
European Portuguese: filósofo
Latin American Spanish: filósofo
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All related terms of 'philosopher'
philosopher king
the Platonic ideal of a ruler , philosophically trained and enlightened
philosopher kings
(in the political theory of Plato ) the elite whose education has given them true knowledge of the Forms and esp of the Form of the Good, thus enabling them alone to rule justly
philosopher's wool
a white insoluble powder used as a pigment in paints ( zinc white or Chinese white ), cosmetics , glass, and printing inks . It is an antiseptic and astringent and is used in making zinc ointment . Formula: ZnO
philosopher's stone
a stone or substance thought by alchemists to be capable of transmuting base metals into gold
natural philosophy
(now only used in Scottish universities) physical science, esp physics
Chinese translation of 'philosopher'
philosopher
(fɪˈlɔsəfəʳ)
n(c)
哲学(學)家 (zhéxuéjiā) (位, wèi)
(noun)
Definition
a person who studies philosophy
the Greek philosopher Plato
Synonyms
thinker
some of the world's greatest thinkers
theorist
sage
ancient Chinese sages
wise man
logician
metaphysician
dialectician
seeker after truth
see philosophy
Quotations
It is one of the chief skills of the philosopher not to occupy himself with questions which do not concern him [Ludwig Wittgenstein – Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus]There is no statement so absurd that no philosopher will make it [Cicero – De Divinatione]There was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patiently [William Shakespeare – Much Ado About Nothing]The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it [Karl Marx – Theses on Feuerbach]I have tried too in my time to be a philosopher; but, I don't know how, cheerfulness was always breaking in [Oliver Edwards]what I understand by `philosopher': a terrible explosive in the presence of which everything is in danger [Friedrich Nietzsche – Ecce Homo]