Rousseau

American  

[roo-soh, roo-soh] / ruˈsoʊ, ruˈsoʊ /

noun

1. Henri Le Douanier, 1844–1910, French painter.

2. Jean Jacques 1712–78, French philosopher, author, and social reformer; born in Switzerland.

3. (Pierre Étienne) Théodore 1812–67, French painter.

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Rousseau British  

/ ruso /

noun

1. Henri (ɑ̃ri), known as le Douanier . 1844–1910, French painter, who created bold dreamlike pictures, often of exotic landscapes in a naive style. Among his works are Sleeping Gypsy (1897) and Jungle with a Lion (1904–06). He also worked as a customs official

2. Jean Jacques (ʒɑ̃ ʒak). 1712–78, French philosopher and writer, born in Switzerland, who strongly influenced the theories of the French Revolution and the romantics. Many of his ideas spring from his belief in the natural goodness of man, whom he felt was warped by society. His works include Du contrat social (1762), Émile (1762), and his Confessions (1782)

3. Théodore (teɔdɔr). 1812–67, French landscape painter: leader of the Barbizon school

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Compare meaning

How does rousseau compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Voltaire vs. Rousseau

Example Sentences

One of the most popular is called “Pursuing the Good Life”; this semester, readings included the Bible, Plato, Rousseau, Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, along with poetry by Sylvia Plath and music by Beethoven.

From The Wall Street Journal

In an earnings call, CEO Michael Rousseau says the airline saw “very strong demand in the last two months of the year,” which helped top expectations in 4Q.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jean-Jacques Rousseau noted that if all else fails, each of us can be the best parent in the world in the eyes of our children.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even as he appealed to the state of nature, though, Rousseau questioned whether it could ever be recovered.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rousseau’s unfinished, unstructured “Reveries” resembles the herbarium in which he gathered a botanical record of his daily walks.

From The Wall Street Journal