Pythagorean

[ pi-thag-uh-ree-uhn ]

/ pɪˌθæg əˈri ən /

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adjective

of or relating to Pythagoras, to his school, or to his doctrines.

noun

a follower of Pythagoras.

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Origin of Pythagorean

1540–50; <Latin Pȳthagorē(us) (<Greek Pȳthagóreios of Pythagoras) + -an

OTHER WORDS FROM Pythagorean

post-Py·thag·o·re·an, adjective

Words nearby Pythagorean

pyruvic, pyruvic acid, pyruvic aldehyde, Pythagoras, Pythagoras' theorem, Pythagorean, Pythagoreanism, Pythagorean scale, Pythagorean theorem, Pytheas, Pythia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Pythagorean in a sentence

They’re 18-7 in one-run games — meaning they’re 23-31 in all other contests — and no team has exceeded its Pythagorean expectation more than Seattle so far this season.
The MLB Contender Nobody Saw Coming|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|June 28, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
This year, the Marlins’ actual winning percentage is 61 points lower than its Pythagorean expectation and 69 points lower than its WAR-predicted winning percentage.
The Marlins Are Learning That It’s Better To Be Lucky Than Good|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|June 2, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Last week, the Riddler Cheese Company was producing “craft triples” — triangular slices of cheese whose side lengths were Pythagorean triples when measured in inches.
Can You Crack The Case Of The Crystal Key?|Zach Wissner-Gross (riddlercolumn@gmail.com)|May 28, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
The Riddler Cheese Company is producing what are called “craft triples” — triangular slices of cheese whose side lengths are Pythagorean triples, when measured in inches.
No Isosceles Triangles For You!|Zach Wissner-Gross (riddlercolumn@gmail.com)|May 21, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

Maybe they can just keep finding new ways to stay at the bottom of the Pythagorean disappointment rankings.
The Steelers And Bills Have Been Historically Lucky So Far. The Chargers … Have Not.|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|November 12, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Hence the entirety of "No One Else," a tune that is borderline Pythagorean in its balance and proportion.
Remembering Weezer’s ‘The Blue Album,’ A Garage Rock Classic, on Its 20th Anniversary|Andrew Romano|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In practice it appears that musicians tuned the tetrachord b-e of this scale with the Pythagorean two Major tones and leimma.
The Modes of Ancient Greek Music|David Binning Monro
And Persius favours me, by saying, that Ennius was the fifth from the Pythagorean peacock.
Dryden's Works (13 of 18): Translations; Pastorals|John Dryden
The Ionian and Pythagorean philosophies arose, and some new elements were added to the popular belief.
Phaedo|Plato
We observe, first of all, that the dialogue is put into the mouth of a Pythagorean philosopher, and not of Socrates.
Timaeus|Plato
He was a Pythagorean in philosophy, and Plato and Aristotle are said to have been both deeply indebted to him.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Pythagorean

Pythagorean

/ (paɪˌθæɡəˈriːən) /

adjective

of or relating to Pythagoras

denoting the diatonic scale of eight notes arrived at by Pythagoras and based on a succession of fifths

noun

a follower of Pythagoras

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012