Platonic
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of Plato or his doctrines.
the Platonic philosophy of ideal forms.
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relating to, involving, or characterized by Platonic love as a striving toward love of spiritual or ideal beauty.
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Usually platonic
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being, relating to, or involving the kind of love that characterizes a friendship; free of sexual desire or romantic overtones.
Despite their close bond and emotional connection, their relationship remained purely platonic.
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feeling or professing love of this kind.
He insisted that he was completely platonic in his admiration.
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adjective
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of or relating to Plato or his teachings
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(often not capital) free from physical desire
Platonic love
Usage
What else does platonic mean? Platonic characterizes a close but non-sexual relationship between people. It’s especially used in reference to two people of opposite sexes who have a strong, deep friendship.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Platonic
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin Platōnicus, from Greek Platōnikós, equivalent to Platōn-, stem of Plátōn Plato + -ikos, -ic
Explanation
Platonic describes a relationship that is purely spiritual and not physical. If a guy and a girl hang out all the time but aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, they'd describe their friendship as platonic. This word platonic refers to the writings of Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher who wrote on the interesting subject of love. Platonic love and platonic friendships are marked by the absence of physical or sexual desire. Plato did acknowledge physical desire, but thought that if two people truly inspired each other, their spiritual or ideal love would bring them closer to God.
Vocabulary lists containing platonic
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 18
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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.
She watches reality TV with her kids; joining them, he offers, “I did my thesis on reality. Is this show about Platonic or Aristotelian ideas?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
And some go so far as to see it as a philosophical allegory “structured by a hermetic geometry,” writes Mr. Campbell, “that draws on Platonic thought.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
If the underlying rules of the Platonic realm seem similar to those governing a computer simulation, could that realm itself be simulated?
From Science Daily ● Nov. 10, 2025
It brings to mind not a Platonic plum, but a specific plum I must have enjoyed on some long lost summer day.
From Salon ● Jan. 5, 2025
Experimentation thus required a deeply problematic balancing act between Platonic idealism and a crude empiricism.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
