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 earliest and the most extreme type of hedonism is that of the Cyrenaic School as stated by Aristippus, who argued that the only good for man is the sentient pleasure of the moment.
From Project Gutenberg
The recognition of the reference in morality to society has been implied in all ethical theories; theories of selfish pleasure themselves recognize the social element in individual gratification, even Cyrenaic theories recommending selection and refinement of pleasures, and containing a reference to personal dignity which implies a conception of man as typical of a perfection that others may sympathize in and attain.
From Project Gutenberg
It is of the utmost importance that this development of Cyrenaic hedonism should be fully realized.
From Project Gutenberg
To overlook the Cyrenaic recognition of social obligation and the hedonistic value of altruistic emotion is a very common expedient of those who are opposed to all hedonistic theories of life.
From Project Gutenberg
The Cyrenaic ideal was, of course, utterly alien to Christianity, and, in general, subsequent thinkers found it an ideal of hopeless pessimism.
From Project Gutenberg
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.
