philosopher

Etymology

From Middle English philosophre, from Anglo-Norman or Middle French philosophe, from Latin philosophus, from Ancient Greek φιλόσοφος (philósophos, literally “lover of wisdom”) + -er. Credited as having been coined by Pythagoras to describe himself. Displaced native Old English ūþwita.

noun

1. (originally) A lover of wisdom.
2. A student of philosophy.
3. A scholar or expert engaged in or contributing to philosophical inquiry.
   Their playwrights knew better. Scandal, murder, hair-rending and railing against the gods sold tickets. King is not a philosopher. He knows how to sell tickets. 2007, Harold Bloom, Bloom's Modern Critical Views: Stephen King
4. (archaic) A person who applies the principles of philosophy to the conduct of their life, as by acting calmly and rationally in the face of inevitable change.
5. (archaic) A student, scholar, or expert in any branch of knowledge, especially those branches studied prior to being considered part of pure science.
6. (obsolete) An alchemist.
   Then thus conclude I, since that God of heaven Will not that these philosophers neven How that a man shall come unto this stone, I rede as for the best to let it gon. 1813, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
   No further progress was made in this science until the Mohammedan alchemists embarked upon their search for the philosopher's stone, the elixir of life, and a method of transmuting base metals into gold. 1945, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy