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Synonyms

Socratic

American  
[suh-krat-ik, soh-] / səˈkræt ɪk, soʊ- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Socrates or his philosophy, followers, etc., or to the Socratic method.


noun

  1. a follower of Socrates.

  2. any of the Greek philosophers influenced by Socrates.

Socratic British  
/ sɒˈkrætɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Socrates, his methods, etc

"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

noun

  1. a person who follows the teachings of Socrates

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of Socratic

1630–40; < Latin Sōcraticus < Greek Sōkratikós of, pertaining to Socrates; see -ic


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.

See Examples For:

Under pressure from critics, generative AI developers have begun building so-called "Socratic" functions into their models, which for now remain mostly aimed at students.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

In some ways, high school looks much the same as it did 20, even 100 years ago: sleepy eyes either light up or glaze over when a teacher poses a Socratic question.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Recently, I took Gemini on a long walk with me, during which we had a Socratic dialogue about the history of the Byzantine Empire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026

I was scared about whether, even with my hearing aids, I would be able to keep up with the quick-fire exchanges that fill my classroom as I engage law students in the Socratic method.

From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2024

“So do I,” added her husband, who welcomed the thought of a chance for trying the Socratic method of education on modern youth.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

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