philosopher

American  

[fi-los-uh-fer] / fɪˈlɒs ə fər /

noun

1. a person who offers views or theories on profound questions in ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields.

2. a person who is deeply versed in philosophy.

3. a person who establishes the central ideas of some movement, cult, etc.

4. a person who regulates their life, actions, judgments, utterances, etc., by the light of philosophy or reason.

5. a person who is rationally or sensibly calm, especially under trying circumstances.

6. Obsolete. an alchemist or occult scientist.

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philosopher British  

/ 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

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philosopher Cultural  

1. Someone who engages in philosophy. Some examples of philosophers are Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and Plato.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• philosophership
  noun

Etymology

Origin of philosopher

First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of philosophre from Anglo-French ( Middle French philosophe, from Latin philosophus ); replacing Old English philosoph, from Latin philosophus, from Greek philósophos “philosopher,” equivalent to philo- philo- + soph(ía) “wisdom” ( see -sophy) + -os noun suffix

Explanation

A philosopher is someone engaged in the study of philosophy. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? This is the type of weighty question a philosopher tackles. In ancient Greek, the word philosopho meant a “lover of wisdom.” Thales of Miletus, who lived in the 7th century B.C., generally gets credit for being the first western philosopher, though he is much less well known than Socrates, Plato or Aristotle. René Descartes, famous for his declaration, “I think, therefore I am,” is considered the first modern philosopher, though he lived in the 17th century.

Example Sentences

Even if we can’t be sure something is conscious, we might err on the side of caution by assuming it is – what philosopher Jonathan Birch calls the precautionary principle for sentience.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

Ingrid Robeyns, a philosopher and economist, has written that the wealth of the world’s richest has soared so much it is nearly incomprehensible for laypeople to grasp.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

On the first day of class, professor Reiko Hillyer writes a quote from French philosopher Michel Foucault on the board: Is it surprising that prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals, which all resemble prisons?

From Slate • May 27, 2026

The philosopher, lawyer and reformist member of Colombia's main opposition party considers Uribe her "father."

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

It was writer and philosopher Alain Locke who coined the term “New Negro” to describe the pride-filled African Americans who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• theorist