Definitions for philosopher
fɪˈlɒs ə fərphiloso·pher

Princeton's WordNet(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. philosophernoun

   a specialist in philosophy

2. philosophernoun

   a wise person who is calm and rational; someone who lives a life of reason with equanimity

Wiktionary(4.14 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. philosophernoun

   A person devoted to studying and producing results in philosophy.

   Philosophers spend a lot of time thinking, and less time living.

2. Etymology: From or philosophe, from philosophus, from φίλος + σοφός, from σοφία + -er.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophernoun

   A man deep in knowledge, either moral or natural.

   Etymology: philosophus, Lat. philosophe, Fr.

   Many sound in belief have been also great philosophers. Richard Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity.

   That stone
   Philosophers in vain so long have sought. John Milton.

   Adam, in the state of innocence, came into the world a philosopher, which sufficiently appeared by his writing the natures of things upon their names; he could view essences in themselves, and read forms without the comment of their respective properties. Robert South, Sermons.

   They all our fam’d philosophers defie,
   And would our faith by force of reason try. Dryden.

   If the philosophers by fire had been so wary in their observations and sincere in their reports, as those, who call themselves philosophers, ought to have been, our acquaintance with the bodies here about us had been yet much greater. John Locke.

Webster Dictionary(3.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosophernoun

   one who philosophizes; one versed in, or devoted to, philosophy

2. Philosophernoun

   one who reduces the principles of philosophy to practice in the conduct of life; one who lives according to the rules of practical wisdom; one who meets or regards all vicissitudes with calmness

3. Philosophernoun

   an alchemist

4. Etymology: [OE. philosophre, F. philosophe, L. philosophus, Gr. filo`sofos; fi`los loving + sofo`s wise. Cf. Philosophy.]

Freebase(4.00 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosopher

   A philosopher is a person with an extensive knowledge of philosophy who uses this knowledge in their work, typically to solve philosophical problems. Philosophy is concerned with studying the subject matter of fields such as aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, logic, metaphysics, as well as social philosophy and political philosophy. There is a sense in which every human being is a philosopher, if they accept a very humanistic and generous interpretation. This is to say that every human being has a unique contribution of ideas to the society. However, a more generally accepted interpretation in academia is that a philosopher is one who has attained a Ph.D. in philosophy, teaches philosophy, has published literature in a field of philosophy in a peer-reviewed journal, or is widely accepted by other philosophers as a philosopher.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(3.40 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Philosopher

   fi-los′ō-fėr, n. a lover of wisdom: one versed in or devoted to philosophy: a metaphysician: one who acts calmly and rationally in all the affairs and changes of life—also Phil′osophe:—fem. Philos′ophess.—adjs. Philosoph′ic, -al, pertaining or according to philosophy: skilled in or given to philosophy: becoming a philosopher: rational: calm.—adv. Philosoph′ically.—v.i. Philos′ophise, to reason like a philosopher: to form philosophical theories.—ns. Philos′ophiser, a would-be philosopher; Philos′ophism, would-be philosophy; Philos′ophist.—adjs. Philosophist′ic, -al.—n. Philos′ophy, the science of being as being: the knowledge of the causes and laws of all phenomena: the collection of general laws or principles belonging to any department of knowledge: reasoning: a particular philosophical system: calmness of temper.—Philosopher's stone, an imaginary stone or mineral compound, long sought after by alchemists as a means of transforming other metals into gold.—Moral, and Natural, philosophy (see Moral, Natural). [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. philosophos—philos, a lover, sophos, wise.]

The Roycroft Dictionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. philosopher

   One who thinks in order to believe; one who formulates his prejudices and systematizes his ignorance.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(2.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. PHILOSOPHER

   One who instead of crying over spilt milk consoles himself with the thought that it was over four-fifths water.

Matched Categories

1. • Person
   • Philosophy
   • Scholar

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'philosopher' in Nouns Frequency: #2617

How to pronounce philosopher?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

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   Australian

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   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

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   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

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   Fred

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   South African

How to say philosopher in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of philosopher in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of philosopher in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of philosopher in a Sentence

1. Wallace Stevens:

   The philosopher proves that the philosopher exists. The poet merely enjoys existence.

2. Albert Einstein:

   The physicist cannot simply surrender to the philosopher the critical contemplation of the theoretical foundations for he himself knows best and feels most surely where the shoe pinches.... he must try to make clear in his own mind just how far the concepts which he uses are justified... The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

3. Larry Gatlin:

   Here's where I am on all this. Like the philosopher Socrates, I know enough to know I know nothing. John Locke said, 'All wealth is the product of labor.' What is our government trying to tell us right now? They're trying to shut us down.

4. CaddyShack:

   The Zen philosopher, Basho, once wrote, 'A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish'.

5. Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU:

   Philosopher, observer, scholar of our time; Original creator accepting no blunders, Emphasizing the gala of the pen, he ponders The tomes of literary jewels for life's rime!

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