philosophy

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philosophy

  • /fɪˈlɒs.ə.fi/ UK
  • /fɪˈlɑ.sə.fi/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English philosophie, from Old French philosophie, from Latin philosophia, from Ancient Greek φιλοσοφία (philosophía), from φίλος (phílos, “loving”) + σοφία (sophía, “wisdom”). By surface analysis, philo- + -sophy. Displaced Old English ūþwitegung.

noun philosophies · philosophie · phylosophie · phylosophy

  1. uncountable An academic discipline that seeks truth through reasoning rather than empiricism, often attempting to provide explanations relating to general concepts such as existence and rationality. Philosophy is often divided into five major branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics.
  2. countable A view or outlook regarding fundamental principles underlying some domain. a philosophy of government; a philosophy of education

    Similar: worldview, ethos

  3. countable A general principle (usually moral). As a matter of fact the Enlightment culture was based on a philosophy inspired to an ethical laicism whose aim was to create a better society based on principles such as solidarity, equality of rights and duties, and full freedom.
  4. countable A comprehensive system of belief.

    Similar: doctrine, ideology

  5. archaic, uncountable The love of wisdom.
  6. dated, uncountable A calm and thoughtful demeanor; calmness of temper.
  7. countable, dated, uncountable Synonym of small pica (especially in French printing). Although I prefer small pica. Or as its^([sic]) sometimes known, philosophy. – Small pica, or philosophy, she said. It sounds like the title of a novel. With a girl heroine.

    Similar: small pica

  8. archaic, countable A broader branch of (non-applied) science. natural philosophy

Similar: philosophy

verb philosophies · philosophying · philosophied · philosophie · phylosophie

  1. archaic To philosophize. Plato hath (in my seeming) loved this manner of Philosophying, Dialogue wise in good earnest, that therby he might more decently place in sundry mouthes the diversity and variation of his owne conceits.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: ism, doctrine, philosophical, idea, philosopher, ethos, concept, mentality, thought, notion, ideology, mindset, logic, principle, reasoning, culture

noun

Similar: philosophy

Translations

Every language

noun academic discipline

Españolfilosofía
한국어철학 cheolhak
日本語哲学 tetsugaku
中文哲學 /哲学 zhéxué
हिन्दीदर्शन darśan, फ़लसफ़ा falasfā, तत्व tatva
Kiswahilifalsafa
Portuguêsfilosofia
Françaisphilosophie
DeutschPhilosophie
Italianofilosofia
Ελληνικάφιλοσοφία filosofía
Românăfilozofie
Русскийфилосо́фия filosófija
Tiếng Việttriết học
العربيةفَلْسَفَة falsafa
עבריתפִילוֹסוֹפְיָה filosofya

noun view regarding fundamental principles

日本語方針 hōshin, 方向 hōkō, 主義 shugi, 哲学 tetsugaku
हिन्दीमज़हब mazhab, मजहब majhab, अकीदा akīdā
Portuguêsfilosofia
DeutschPhilosophie
Ελληνικάφιλοσοφία filosofía
Românăfilozofie
Русскийфилосо́фия filosófija
Tiếng Việttriết lý, nguyên lý
العربيةمَذْهَب maḏhab, عَقِيدَة ʕaqīda

noun general principle

日本語方針 hōshin, 方向 hōkō, 主義 shugi, 哲学 tetsugaku
हिन्दीमज़हब mazhab, मजहब majhab
Portuguêsfilosofia
DeutschPhilosophie
Românăfilozofie
العربيةمَبْدَأ mabdaʔ, مَذْهَب maḏhab

noun comprehensive system of belief

日本語哲学 tetsugaku
हिन्दीफ़लसफ़ा falasfā, मज़हब mazhab, मजहब majhab, दर्शन darśan
Portuguêsfilosofia
DeutschPhilosophie
Ελληνικάφιλοσοφία filosofía
Românăfilozofie
Русскийфилосо́фия filosófija
Tiếng Việttriết lý, triết học
العربيةفَلْسَفَة falsafa, مَذْهَب maḏhab

noun the love of wisdom

日本語悟り satori
Ελληνικάφιλοσοφία filosofía

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Cite this
MLA

"philosophy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/philosophy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

philosophy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/philosophy

Chicago

"philosophy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/philosophy.

BibTeX
@misc{philosophy_2026,
  title = {philosophy},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/philosophy},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}