philosophical
Americanadjective
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of or relating to philosophy.
philosophical studies.
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versed in or occupied with philosophy.
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proper to or befitting a philosopher.
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rationally or sensibly calm, patient, or composed.
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Rare. of or relating to natural philosophy or physical science.
adjective
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of or relating to philosophy or philosophers
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reasonable, wise, or learned
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calm and stoical, esp in the face of difficulties or disappointments
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(formerly) of or relating to science or natural philosophy
Other Word Forms
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philosophicalnessnoun
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antiphilosophicadjective
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antiphilosophicaladjective
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nonphilosophicadjective
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nonphilosophicaladjective
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pseudophilosophicaladjective
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quasi-philosophicaladjective
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semiphilosophicadjective
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semiphilosophicaladjective
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unphilosophicadjective
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unphilosophicaladjective
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antiphilosophicallyadverb
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nonphilosophicallyadverb
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philosophicallyadverb
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quasi-philosophicallyadverb
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semiphilosophicallyadverb
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unphilosophicallyadverb
Etymology
Origin of philosophical
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “learned; pertaining to alchemy,” from Latin philosophic(us) (from Greek philosophikós; see philosopher, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
To be philosophical is to stay detached and thoughtful in the face of a setback, or to approach a tough situation in a level-headed way. When his girlfriend left him, Bernard was philosophical: "If she loves me, she'll return." In ancient Greece, philosophy literally meant a love of knowledge and wisdom. In modern times, the field of philosophy is more specifically the study of how we think through problems. Great philosophers have all sorts of theories about how and why we think and act the way we do, but the word philosophical often just means that you choose to be more thoughtful and look at the 'big picture' when dealing with challenges.
Vocabulary lists containing philosophical
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Backwater,” full of criminous and philosophical puzzles, is no run-of-the-mill police procedural.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
What holds the album together is Monét’s assured singing and her flirty yet philosophical lyrical tone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
He was philosophical about the delays, saying "good things take time."
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
AI researchers have warned that the technology could lead to human extinction, adding urgency to both policy and philosophical debates.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
“I think I have to tell her,” he said, a trace of the philosophical in his tone.
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
