Platonian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the ideas or teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato ; a person who adheres to the philosophical doctrines of Plato
2. Of or connected with the thought of the Greek thinker Plato ; one who follows and accepts the teachings of Plato
3. Pertaining to the philosophy associated with Plato of Athens ; a supporter or adherent of the ideas developed by Plato

Etymology: "Platonian" is built from the name of the Greek philosopher Plato, whose Greek name, "Plátōn," was a nickname of sorts: it is usually linked to "platys," meaning "broad" or "wide," possibly a reference to his broad shoulders or forehead, though the source of the nickname is not certain. The English suffix "-ian" attaches to the name to mean "of or connected with" a person, the same pattern found in words such as "Socratic" or "Aristotelian," although "Socratic" uses a different suffix. The adjective sense describes things relating to Plato's thought, and the noun sense names someone who follows his teachings. Because the word is a plain formation from a proper name plus suffix, its history is straightforward: it was made in English to label ideas and followers of Plato, rather than arriving through a long chain of borrowing.