Theophrastus

American  

[thee-uh-fras-tuhs] / ˌθi əˈfræs təs /

noun

1. 372?–287 b.c., Greek philosopher.

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Theophrastus British  

/ ˌθɪəˈfræstəs /

noun

1. ?372–?287 _bc , Greek Peripatetic philosopher, noted esp for his Characters, a collection of sketches of moral types

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Other Word Forms

• Theophrastian adjective

Example Sentences

There goes the ancient philosopher Theophrastus with his taxonomy of social types; there goes the caricaturist William Hogarth, who believed the face to be “the index of the mind.”

From New York Times

And the works of Theophrastus, the father of botany, were studied closely for techniques of aromatic oil production.

From The Guardian

The ancient philosophers Plutarch and Theophrastus considered kneeling to be an expression of superstition, while Aristotle viewed it as a barbaric behavior.

From Washington Post

His childhood stuffed dog named Theophrastus rests on the couch.

From Washington Post

Three hundred years later, Theophrastus followed up on Thales’ experiments by rubbing various kinds of stone and also observed the “power of attraction.”

From Salon