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platonic

Etymology and origin of the English word platonic

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pləˈtɒnɪk/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin Platonicus,[2][3][4] from Ancient Greek Πλατωνικός (Platōnikós),[2][3][4] from Plátōn, the philosopher Plato.[5][2][3] The name is said to be a nickname referring to his broad shoulders, from platús “broad”.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or relating to Plato or his philosophy (1533).[6][2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

The sense “free of sensual desire” (1631) translates Latin amor platonicus,[6][2][7] a Renaissance notion based on Plato's Symposium and the interest Socrates took in young men.[2] The Renaissance Platonist Marsilio Ficino used amor platonicus for a love between two people that prepares for the love of God,[5] and the English word came to mean a spiritual love between man and woman.[5][7] The American Heritage Dictionary notes that it has since been used of relationships between people of the same sex as well.[5] Merriam-Webster also records a sense “nominal, theoretical”.[3]

Timeline

  • 1533 – of Plato or his doctrines.[6][2][3][7]
  • 1571 – Platonic bodies, the five regular solids.[7]
  • 1631 – of love, free from sensual desire.[6][2][7]
  • 1650 – professing platonic love.[7]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Close and affectionate but without romance or sexual desire.
  2. (capitalized) Of or relating to Plato or his philosophy.
  3. Theoretical or nominal rather than practical.

Word family

  • Platonically
  • platonic love
  • Plato
  • Platonism
  • Platonist
  • plateau

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  6. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Platonic.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/platonic. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·