Cyrenaic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Cyrenaica, or its chief city, Cyrene.
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noting or pertaining to a school of philosophy founded by Aristippus of Cyrene, who taught that pleasure is the only rational aim of life.
noun
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a native or inhabitant of Cyrenaica.
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a disciple of the Cyrenaic school of philosophy.
adjective
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(in the ancient world) of or relating to the city of Cyrene or the territory of Cyrenaica
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of or relating to the philosophical school founded by the Greek philosopher Aristippus (?435–?356 bc ) in Cyrene that held pleasure to be the highest good
noun
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an inhabitant of Cyrene or Cyrenaica
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a follower of the Cyrenaic school of philosophy
Etymology
Origin of Cyrenaic
1580–90; < Latin C ȳrēnaicus < Greek Kȳrēnnaïkós, equivalent to Kȳrēna- (combining form of Kȳrḗnē Cyrene ) + -ikos -ic
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.
The followers of the Cyrenaic school, with its doctrine of moderation in the pursuit of pleasure, maintained that they carried out the maxims of Aristippus in their pursuit of the joys of love.
From Greek Women by Mitchell Carroll
With the Megaric school is usually classified the Cyrenaic founded by Aristippus.
From History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2) Revised Edition by John William Draper
He maintains further, in opposition to most of the Cyrenaic school, that wisdom or prudence alone is an insufficient guarantee against error.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2 "Anjar" to "Apollo" by Various
It is not, however, in this, which is only the old Cyrenaic or Epicurean answer, that the distinctive point of Hobbism lies.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various
For the inspiration with which it may be pursued this ideal has nowhere been more eloquently set forth than in the pages of Walter Pater, who styles himself "the new Cyrenaic."
From The Approach to Philosophy by Ralph Barton Perry
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