Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

Heraclitus

American  
[her-uh-klahy-tuhs] / ˌhɛr əˈklaɪ təs /

noun

  1. the Obscure, c540–c470 b.c., Greek philosopher.


Heraclitus British  
/ ˌhɛrəˈklaɪtəs /

noun

  1. ?535–?475 bc , Greek philosopher, who held that fire is the primordial substance of the universe and that all things are in perpetual flux

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

See Examples For:

It is well to remember also Heraclitus, who observed that all is flux.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 11, 2026

That Oscar-nominated film is far more gentle and sincere than “Challengers,” a trim, naughty, ferociously well-acted trifle about characters more likely to scrawl something foul on a bathroom stall than quote Heraclitus.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 25, 2024

With the doctrine of forms, Plato may be said to combine the metaphysics of Parmenides with that of Heraclitus into a metaphysical dualism.

From Textbooks Jun. 15, 2022

“Swift Arrow,” deftly interpreted by Peck and Mejia, comes with an epigraph from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “The harmony of the ordered-world is one of contrary tensions, like that of the harp or bow.”

From Washington Post May 3, 2021

Heraclitus says, “Not even the sun will transgress his orbit but the Erinyes, the ministers of justice, overtake him.”

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training