Pythagorean

1 of 2

noun

Py·​thag·​o·​re·​an pə-ˌtha-gə-ˈrē-ən How to pronounce Pythagorean (audio)
(ˌ)pī-
: any of a group professing to be followers of the Greek philosopher Pythagoras

Pythagorean

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or associated with the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, his philosophy, or the Pythagoreans

Examples of Pythagorean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Boston went 12-19 in one-run games (fifth worst in MLB) but 41-26 (second best) in multi-run contests, helping fuel a 2.2-win gap in Pythagorean versus actual records. — Neil Paine, New York Times, 22 July 2025 Whether an educator taught your child their ABCs or the Pythagorean theorem, this week is a chance to return the gratitude. — Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 6 May 2025
Adjective
But his two Cubs teams are -7 in the Pythagorean standings, with too many wins getting away from them. — Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 The All-Star hosts were six games underwater in their Pythagorean differential at the break, with a huge split between their record in close games (13-24 in one-run games, 17-32 in two-run games) and blowouts (25-21 in games decided by three or more runs). — Neil Paine, New York Times, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Pythagorean

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1531, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pythagorean was in 1531

Phrases Containing Pythagorean

Browse Nearby Words

Pythagoras
Pythagorean
Pythagorean comma
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pythagorean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pythagorean. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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