Aristotelean

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the ideas, methods or teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle and his followers
2. Describing anything connected with the philosophical system or logic developed by the Greek thinker Aristotle
3. Of or pertaining to the doctrines of Aristotle, the Greek philosopher whose work shaped Western thought

Etymology: Aristotle's name has been an English adjective since the late Middle Ages, and "Aristotelean" is one of the forms it took. The word was borrowed from Latin "Aristotelēanus", itself built from "Aristoteles", the Latinized form of the Greek name, plus the Latin suffix "-anus", which forms adjectives meaning "belonging to" or "associated with" a person or place. So the word is simply "of Aristotle" in Latin dress, a pattern English used for many scholarly adjectives drawn from proper names. The Greek name "Aristotelēs" is generally explained as combining "aristos", "best", with "telos", "end" or "purpose", though the exact sense of the name is debated and some scholars think it was a family name with no transparent meaning. Either way, the name predates the philosopher's fame, which means the adjective inherits a name that was already in use among the Athenian upper classes. The adjective has always been used alongside the more common "Aristotelian", and the two forms are interchangeable in most contexts. Writers tend to reach for "Aristotelean" as the older, more ornate option, and in some older English texts it is the dominant spelling.