maieutic

[ mey-yoo-tik ]

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

/ meɪˈjuːtɪk /

adjective

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of maieutic¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of maieutic¹

C17: from Greek maieutikos relating to midwifery (used figuratively by Socrates), from maia midwife

Example Sentences

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

From Project Gutenberg