philosopher kings
Britishplural noun
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(in the political theory of Plato) the elite whose education has given them true knowledge of the Forms and esp of the Form of the Good, thus enabling them alone to rule justly
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informal any ideologically motivated elite
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.
Appetite is the principal attribute of the plebes, passion of the warriors, and reason of the philosopher kings.
From The New Yorker • Aug. 27, 2018
They are survivalist philosopher kings - highly educated and extremely self-sufficient.
From Washington Times • Jul. 5, 2016
“A series of philosopher kings trying to guess what is happening with the economy,” he says.
From Time • Nov. 11, 2015
We are familiar, of course, with philosopher kings, but is there a new breed of philosopher curators?
From New York Times • May 31, 2013
How different our dream: it is no illusion of a happy accident of philosopher kings.
From The Soul of Democracy The Philosophy of the World War in Relation to Human Liberty by Griggs, Edward Howard
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.
