Definitions for Democritus
dɪˈmɒk rɪ təsdem·ocri·tus

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.5 / 2 votes

1. Democritusnoun

   Greek philosopher who developed an atomistic theory of matter (460-370 BC)

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Democritusnoun

   A Greek philosopher (c.460-c.370 BC). The originator of the atomic theory together with his teacher Leucippus.

2. Etymology: From Δημόκριτος.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Democritus

   Democritus (; Greek: Δημόκριτος, Dēmókritos, meaning "chosen of the people"; c. 460 – c. 370 BC) was an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Abdera, primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe. None of his work has survived.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. democritus

   Democritus was an Ancient Greek philosopher, often known as the 'laughing philosopher' due to his emphasis on cheerfulness. He is credited as the originator of the atomic theory of the universe, a philosophy contemporarily known as atomism. Born around 460 B.C in Abdera, Thrace, he proposed that everything in the universe, including the soul, is composed of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms, which exist in infinite numbers and types. Moreover, Democritus also made influential contributions to the field of ethics.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Democritus

   Democritus was an Ancient Greek philosopher born in Abdera, Thrace, Greece. A pupil of Leucippus, he was an influential pre-Socratic philosopher who formulated an atomic theory for the universe. His exact contributions are difficult to disentangle from those of his mentor Leucippus, as they are often mentioned together in texts. Their speculation on atoms, taken from Leucippus, bears a passing and partial resemblance to the nineteenth-century understanding of atomic structure that has led some to regard Democritus as more of a scientist than other Greek philosophers; however, their ideas rested on very different bases. Largely ignored in ancient Athens, Democritus was nevertheless well known to his fellow northern-born philosopher Aristotle. Plato is said to have disliked him so much that he wished all his books burned. Many consider Democritus to be the "father of modern science".

The Nuttall EncyclopediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Democritus

   a Greek philosopher, born in Abdera, Thrace, of wealthy parents; spent his patrimony in travel, gathered knowledge from far and near, and gave the fruits of it in a series of writings to his contemporary compatriots, only fragments of which remain, though they must have come down comparatively entire to Cicero's time, who compares them for splendour and music of eloquence to Plato's; his philosophy was called the Atomic, as he traced the universe to its ultimate roots in combinations of atoms, in quality the same but in quantity different, and referred all life and sensation to movements in them, while he regarded quiescence as the summum bonum; he has been called the Laughing Philosopher from, it is alleged, his habit of laughing at the follies of mankind; b. 460 B.C.

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1. democritus

   Quotes by democritus -- Explore a large variety of famous quotes made by democritus on the Quotes.net website.

Biographical Dictionary of FreethinkersRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Democritus

   A wealthy Atheistic philosopher, born Abdera, Thrace, B.C. 460. He travelled to Egypt and over a great part of Asia, and is also said to have visited India. He is supposed to have been acquainted with Leucippus, and sixty works were ascribed to him. Died B.C. 357. He taught that all existence consisted of atoms, and made the discovery of causes the object of scientific inquiry. He is said to have laughed at life in general, which Montaigne says is better than to imitate Heraclitus and weep, since mankind are not so unhappy as vain. Democritus was the forerunner of Epicurus, who improved his system.

Matched Categories

1. • Philosopher

How to pronounce Democritus?

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Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Democritus in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Democritus in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of Democritus in a Sentence

1. Wallace Stevens:

   Democritus plucked his eye out because he could not look at a woman without thinking of her as a woman. If he had read a few of our novels, he would have torn himself to pieces.

2. Marcus Tullius Cicero:

   Democritus maintains that there can be no great poet without a spite of madness.

3. Charles Richter:

   According to Democritus, truth lies at the bottom of a well, the water of which serves as a mirror in which objects may be reflected. I have heard, however, that some philosophers, in seeking for truth, to pay homage to her, have seen their own image and adored it instead.

4. Laertius Diogenes:

   Democritus says, But we know nothing really for truth lies deep down.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Democritus
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Democritus
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democritus
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=Democritus
6. ^ The Nuttall Encyclopedia
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12342/pg12342-images.html#Democritus
7. ^ Biographical Dictionary of Freethinkers
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/34513/pg34513-images.html#:~:text=Democritus