philosopher

American  

[fi-los-uh-fer] / fɪˈlɒs ə fər /

noun

1. a person who offers views or theories on profound questions in ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields.

2. a person who is deeply versed in philosophy.

3. a person who establishes the central ideas of some movement, cult, etc.

4. a person who regulates their life, actions, judgments, utterances, etc., by the light of philosophy or reason.

5. a person who is rationally or sensibly calm, especially under trying circumstances.

6. Obsolete. an alchemist or occult scientist.

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philosopher British  

/ fɪˈlɒsəfə /

noun

1. a student, teacher, or devotee of philosophy

2. a person of philosophical temperament, esp one who is patient, wise, and stoical

3. (formerly) an alchemist or devotee of occult science

4. a person who establishes the ideology of a cult or movement

   the philosopher of the revolution

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philosopher Cultural  

1. Someone who engages in philosophy. Some examples of philosophers are Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and Plato.

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Other Word Forms

• philosophership noun

Etymology

Origin of philosopher

First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of philosophre from Anglo-French ( Middle French philosophe, from Latin philosophus ); replacing Old English philosoph, from Latin philosophus, from Greek philósophos “philosopher,” equivalent to philo- philo- + soph(ía) “wisdom” ( -sophy ) + -os noun suffix

Explanation

A philosopher is someone engaged in the study of philosophy. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? This is the type of weighty question a philosopher tackles. In ancient Greek, the word philosopho meant a “lover of wisdom.” Thales of Miletus, who lived in the 7th century B.C., generally gets credit for being the first western philosopher, though he is much less well known than Socrates, Plato or Aristotle. René Descartes, famous for his declaration, “I think, therefore I am,” is considered the first modern philosopher, though he lived in the 17th century.

Example Sentences

Rossen Ventzislavov is a philosopher and cultural critic from Bulgaria who lives in Los Angeles and teaches at Woodbury University.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

From my perspective as a political philosopher, these and other similar claims indicate he is speaking falsely as a way of demeaning or taunting his detractors.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

Married in later life to the philosopher Syvliane Agacinski, who survives him, Jospin was respected as an honest – if somewhat technocratic – left-wing leader.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Jospin, who has two children with his first wife, also remarried that year, to feminist philosopher Sylviane Agacinski.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Carte'sian, relating to the philosophy of Descartes: a French philosopher of the 17th century.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Related Words

• theorist