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maieutic

American  
[mey-yoo-tik] / meɪˈyu tɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the method used by Socrates of eliciting knowledge in the mind of a person by interrogation and insistence on close and logical reasoning.


maieutic British  
/ meɪˈjuːtɪk /

adjective

  1. philosophy of or relating to the Socratic method of eliciting knowledge by a series of questions and answers

"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

Etymology

Origin of maieutic

1645–55; < Greek maieutikós of, pertaining to midwifery, equivalent to maieú ( esthai ) to serve as a midwife (akin to maîa midwife) + -tikos -tic

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.

Maieutic, mā-ū′tik, adj. helping childbirth.—n. midwifery.

From Project Gutenberg

Therefore he called his method the "maieutic" or "obstetric" art.

From Project Gutenberg

These were embryonate in the womb of reason, coming to the birth, but needing the "maieutic" or "obstetric" art, that they might be brought forth.

From Project Gutenberg

Associated words: tocology, midwife, midwifery, parturient, maieutic, layette, obstetrics, obstetrician, celation, puerperal, accoucheur, accoucheuse, fetus, post-partum. childhood, n. nonage, infancy, minority, impuberty, pupilage. childish, a. puerile, juvenile, infantile, immature. childishness, n. juvenility, puerility, immaturity. children, n. offspring, progeny, issue, descendants, posterity. chill, n. chilliness, shiver, rigor. chilly, a. cool, chill, raw, bleak. chime, v. accord, agree, harmonize, be in unison. chime, n. unison, harmony; carillon. chimera, n. delusion, phantom, hallucination, illusion. chimney, n.

From Project Gutenberg

Dialogues Diadectic Speculative Physical Logical Practical Ethical Political Inquisitive Gymnastic Maieutic Peirastic Agonistic Endeietic Anatreptic The learned reader will observe the latter half of the dialogues, according to this scheme, to be described by metaphors taken from the gymnastic art: the dialogues, here termed gymnastic, being imagined to bear a similitude to that exercise; the agonistic, to the combat.

From Project Gutenberg