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philosopher king

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noun

the Platonic ideal of a ruler, philosophically trained and enlightened.

Origin of philosopher king

First recorded in 1920–25

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for philosopher-king

Historical Examples of philosopher-king

But if the President was not the philosopher-king, what was he?
The Economic Consequences of the Peace
John Maynard Keynes
So thought the philosopher-King of Prussia, when he let his regiments out of garrison to go and face the enemy.
Rambles and Recollections of an Indian Official
William Sleeman
A smile in Plato at the sight of his philosopher-King in such strange company might well be pardoned.
Political Thought in England from Locke to Bentham
Harold J. Laski
Diceneus, philosopher-king of Dacia, perhaps Cassiodorus' ideal of a king, 32.
The Letters of Cassiodorus
Cassiodorus (AKA Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator)
Shall we, then, have the philosopher-king, as Europe dimly seems to half expect?
The World's Greatest Books, Vol XII.
Arthur Mee

philosopher-king in Culture

philosopher-king

In the Republic by Plato, the ideal ruler, who has the virtue and wisdom of a philosopher.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.