philosopher

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word philosopher. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word philosopher, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say philosopher in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word philosopher you have here. The definition of the word philosopher will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofphilosopher, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English philosophre, from Anglo-Norman or Middle French philosophe, from Latin philosophus, from Ancient Greek φιλόσοφος (philósophos, literally “lover of wisdom”) + -er.

Credited as having been coined by Pythagoras to describe himself.

Displaced native Old English ūþwita.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /fɪˈlɒs.ə.fə(ɹ)/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /fəˈlɑsəfəɹ/
    • Audio (Mid-Atlantic)(file)

Noun

philosopher (plural philosophers)

  1. (originally) A lover of wisdom.
  2. A student of philosophy.
  3. A scholar or expert engaged in or contributing to philosophical inquiry.
    Hyponyms: see Thesaurus:philosopher
    • 2007, Harold Bloom, Bloom's Modern Critical Views: Stephen King:
      Their playwrights knew better. Scandal, murder, hair-rending and railing against the gods sold tickets. King is not a philosopher. He knows how to sell tickets.
  4. (archaic) A person who applies the principles of philosophy to the conduct of their life, as by acting calmly and rationally in the face of inevitable change.
  5. (archaic) A student, scholar, or expert in any branch of knowledge, especially those branches studied prior to being considered part of pure science.
  6. (obsolete) An alchemist.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ Attributed dates to Roman antiquity: Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, 5.3.8-9 = Heraclides Ponticus fr. 88 Wehrli, Diogenes Laertius 1.12, 8.8, Iamblichus VP 58.
  2. ^ This view has been challenged by Walter Burkert, but it has been defended by C.J. De Vogel, Pythagoras and Early Pythagoreanism (1966), pp. 97–102, and C. Riedweg, Pythagoras: His Life, Teaching, And Influence (2005), p. 92.

French

Pronunciation

Verb

philosopher

  1. to philosophize

Conjugation

Conjugation of philosopher (see also Appendix:French verbs)
infinitive simple philosopher
compound avoir + past participle
present participle or gerund1 simple philosophant
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɑ̃/
compound ayant + past participle
past participle philosophé
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fe/
singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative je (j’) tu il, elle, on nous vous ils, elles
(simple
tenses) 		present philosophe
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophes
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophe
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophons
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɔ̃/ 		philosophez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fe/ 		philosophent
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/
imperfect philosophais
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɛ/ 		philosophais
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɛ/ 		philosophait
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɛ/ 		philosophions
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fjɔ̃/ 		philosophiez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fje/ 		philosophaient
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɛ/
past historic2 philosophai
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fe/ 		philosophas
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fa/ 		philosopha
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fa/ 		philosophâmes
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fam/ 		philosophâtes
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fat/ 		philosophèrent
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɛʁ/
future philosopherai
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁe/ 		philosopheras
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁa/ 		philosophera
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁa/ 		philosopherons
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɔ̃/ 		philosopherez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁe/ 		philosopheront
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɔ̃/
conditional philosopherais
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɛ/ 		philosopherais
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɛ/ 		philosopherait
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɛ/ 		philosopherions
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fə.ʁjɔ̃/ 		philosopheriez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fə.ʁje/ 		philosopheraient
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fʁɛ/
(compound
tenses) 		present perfect present indicative of avoir + past participle
pluperfect imperfect indicative of avoir + past participle
past anterior2 past historic of avoir + past participle
future perfect future of avoir + past participle
conditional perfect conditional of avoir + past participle
subjunctive que je (j’) que tu qu’il, qu’elle que nous que vous qu’ils, qu’elles
(simple
tenses) 		present philosophe
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophes
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophe
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		philosophions
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fjɔ̃/ 		philosophiez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fje/ 		philosophent
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/
imperfect2 philosophasse
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fas/ 		philosophasses
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fas/ 		philosophât
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fa/ 		philosophassions
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fa.sjɔ̃/ 		philosophassiez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fa.sje/ 		philosophassent
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fas/
(compound
tenses) 		past present subjunctive of avoir + past participle
pluperfect2 imperfect subjunctive of avoir + past participle
imperative – tu – nous vous –
simple — philosophe
/fi.lɔ.zɔf/ 		— philosophons
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fɔ̃/ 		philosophez
/fi.lɔ.zɔ.fe/ 		—
compound — simple imperative of avoir + past participle — simple imperative of avoir + past participle simple imperative of avoir + past participle —
1 The French gerund is usable only with the preposition en.
2 In less formal writing or speech, these tenses may be found to have been replaced in the following way:
  • past historic → present perfect
  • past anterior → pluperfect
  • imperfect subjunctive → present subjunctive
  • pluperfect subjunctive → past subjunctive

(Christopher Kendris , Master the Basics: French, pp. 77, 78, 79, 81).

Further reading

Latin

Verb

philosopher

  1. first-person singular present active subjunctive of philosophor
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia