philosopher

noun

phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈlä-s(ə-)fər How to pronounce philosopher (audio)
Synonyms of philosopher
1
a
: a person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment : scholar, thinker
b
: a student of philosophy
2
a
: a person whose philosophical perspective makes meeting trouble with equanimity easier
b
: an expounder of a theory in a particular area of experience
c
: one who philosophizes

Examples of philosopher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The justice of going to war—what philosophers call jus ad bellum—is separate from jus in bello, the justice of how a war is fought. — Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 These included quotes by Fanon, a philosopher who wrote extensively about the ways in which colonized people adopt the mindsets of their oppressors. — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 Plato and Aristotle were not big fans of democracy, notes British philosopher Julian Baggini. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026 Both the black box and kill switch are what cognitive linguist George Lakoff and philosopher Mark Johnson call structural metaphors. — Trent Wintermeier, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for philosopher

Word History

Etymology

Middle English philosophe, philosophre, from Anglo-French, from Latin philosophus, from Greek philosophos, from phil- + sophia wisdom, from sophos wise

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of philosopher was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing philosopher

Browse Nearby Words

philosopheme
philosopher
philosopher's game
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Philosopher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosopher. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

philosopher

noun
phi·​los·​o·​pher fə-ˈläs-(ə-)fər How to pronounce philosopher (audio)
1
a
: a person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment : scholar, thinker
b
: a student of philosophy
2
: a person who is calm and patient when faced with trouble

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