philosopher
gb/fəlˈɑsəfɚ/ us/fəlˈɑsəfɚ/
B1
English
~ 4100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Person studying fundamental ideas
A person who thinks and studies about life, truth, and how the world works.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a philosopher
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'philosopher' with 'philanthropist'; the former studies ideas, while the latter gives money to help others.
Synonyms
thinker (More general; can refer to anyone who thinks deeply, not only about philosophy.)
|
scholar (Emphasizes academic learning, not limited to philosophy.)
Antonyms
nonintellectual (Refers to someone not interested in or engaged with deep or abstract thought.)
Collocations
ancient philosopher
|modern philosopher
|Greek philosopher
|political philosopher
|moral philosopher
Themes
education
|science
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Socrates is considered one of the greatest philosophers in history.
- The philosopher spent years writing about the meaning of justice.
- She became known as a philosopher for her work on ethics and human rights.
- Many philosophers debate the nature of free will.
- The conference brought together philosophers from around the world.
Learner examples
- Plato was a famous philosopher.
- A philosopher asks big questions about life.
- He wants to be a philosopher when he grows up.
- The philosopher talks about truth and goodness.
- We read a book by a French philosopher.
Noun
B2
entity
2
Calm, wise person in hardship
Someone who stays calm and thinks clearly when bad things happen.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a philosopher about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always means 'someone who studies philosophy', but here it describes someone's calm attitude.
Synonyms
stoic (Focuses more on enduring hardship without showing emotion.)
Antonyms
hothead (Someone who reacts quickly with anger or emotion in difficult situations.)
Collocations
be a philosopher about it
|like a true philosopher
Themes
emotions
|personality
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Even after losing the match, he was a philosopher and congratulated his opponent.
- She took the bad news like a philosopher, without complaint.
- He remained a philosopher despite the many setbacks he faced.
Learner examples
- She was a philosopher when she lost her job.
- He is a philosopher about problems at work.
- They stayed like philosophers during the storm.
Grammar
Dictionary form
philosopher
IPA
GB/fəlˈɑsəfɚ/
US/fəlˈɑsəfɚ/
Syllables & stress
philo - soph - er (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (soph)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: philosopher
- Plural: philosophers
Word family
Forms
philosophers
noun
Core family
philosophy
noun B1
philosophical
adjective C1
Related words
philosophically
adverb
philosophize
verb
Advanced or less common
philosophic
adjective
Expressions
philosopher's stone
1/fəlˈɑsəfɚz stˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
literary
Mythical object for gold/immortality
A magical object in old stories that could change metal into gold and make people live forever.
Examples
- In medieval alchemy, the philosopher's stone was the ultimate goal.
- Some say the search for the philosopher's stone is a metaphor for self-improvement.