Etymologically
Log in

Platonicus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 18:53. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

Platōnicus (feminine Platōnica, neuter Platōnicum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin Platō (“Plato”) + -icus,[1] corresponding to Ancient Greek Πλατωνικός (Platōnikós), from which Köbler and the DMLBS derive it.[1][2][3] The philosopher's name is Πλάτων (Plátōn).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest instance the dictionaries give is in the Commentariolum petitionis ascribed to Quintus Cicero, where a Platonicus homo is a profound thinker.[5][6] Cicero speaks of the Platonici, the followers of Plato.[6][5]

Semantic evolution

Its main sense was “of Plato or his philosophy”; as a masculine noun it meant a follower of Plato, and the neuter plural meant Plato's teachings.[7][6] Augustine used Platonici of the Neoplatonists and Platonica of Plato's doctrines.[6]

Medieval British writers used it in the same senses, from Alcuin on.[3] Lorenzo Valla discussed it beside the rival formations Platonius and Platonianus.[8] English took it over as platonic in the 1530s.[9]

Timeline

  • 102–43 BC – The Commentariolum petitionis of Quintus Cicero calls a deep thinker a Platonicus homo.[5][6][2]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the Platonists.[6][5][2]
  • 4 BC–AD 65 – Seneca uses it of Plato's ideas.[6][5][2]
  • 354–430 AD – Augustine applies Platonici to the Neoplatonists.[6][2]
  • 801 – Alcuin quotes a Platonic saying that kingdoms are happy when philosophers rule.[3]
  • 1530s – English borrows it as platonic.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of Plato or his philosophy, Platonic.[7][4][6][3]
  2. (of a person) Profound, given to deep thought.[6]

Noun

  1. (masculine) A follower of Plato, a Platonist.[7][6][3]
  2. (neuter plural) The teachings of Plato.[7][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  5. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com