Apollonian
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to the cult of Apollo.
-
(lowercase) serene, calm, or well-balanced; poised and disciplined.
-
(lowercase) having the properties of or preferring classic beauty.
adjective
-
of or relating to Apollo or the cult of Apollo
-
(sometimes not capital) (in the philosophy of Nietzsche) denoting or relating to the set of static qualities that encompass form, reason, harmony, sobriety, etc
-
(often not capital) harmonious; serene; ordered
Etymology
Origin of Apollonian
Compare meaning
How does apollonian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
But Kennedy is also embarrassing himself by putting out photo and video content meant to prove that he, at age 69, is some kind of Apollonian model of physical perfection.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2023
Where Michelle’s marquise is ruled by an Apollonian temperament, Vetter puts a heavy thumb on the “love” scale.
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2023
He hoped that the “Ring” would revive the cultural paradise of ancient Greece, fusing Apollonian beauty and Dionysian savagery.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 7, 2019
The coldness that followed was more Pygmalion than Apollonian, more marble than wood.
From New York Times ● Feb. 9, 2019
To paraphrase Nietzsche, there are two types of Greek: the Apollonian and the Dionysian.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions 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.
