philosophy
noun
phi·los·o·phy
fə-ˈlä-s(ə-)fē 
plural philosophies
1
a
: a discipline comprising primarily logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology
a degree in philosophy and religion
b(1)
: the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology see doctor of philosophy
(2)
archaic
: all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts
c(1)
(2)
archaic
: physical science
2
a
: a system of motivating beliefs, concepts, and principles
Feminist politics is as full of differing philosophies and scholarly debate as other fields.—
Diane Johnson
Diane JohnsonOur basic philosophy is the same throughout the business: take a chance and learn from it.—Jane Coaston
Jane Coaston… seasonality and sustainability became ever more important to my cooking philosophy.—Alejandro Pinero
Alejandro PineroMy personal philosophy … teaches mindfulness, focusing thoroughly and deeply on what I am doing at one time.—Devin Zimmerman
Devin Zimmerman
b
: a theory concerning a sphere of activity or thought
the philosophy of war
3
a
: a love or pursuit of wisdom : a formal search for the underlying causes and principles of reality
Aristotle said that philosophy begins with wonder …—Sarah Bakewell
Sarah Bakewell
b
: a quest for truth through logical reasoning rather than factual observation
… those who would exalt philosophy above the sciences …—Nelson Goodman
Nelson Goodman
c
: a critical examination and analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs
Broadly speaking, philosophy has three concerns: how the world hangs together, how our beliefs can be justified, and how to live.—Jim Holt
Jim Holt4
: a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought
the philosophy of war
5
: calmness of temper and judgment befitting a philosopher
Synonyms of philosophy
Examples of philosophy in a Sentence
There's plenty of blame to go around: poor regulation, eight years of a failed Republican economic philosophy, Wall Street-friendly Democrats who helped stymie reform, misguided bipartisan efforts to promote home ownership, Wall Street greed, corrupt CEOs, a botched rescue effort, painfully fallible central bankers.
—Daniel Gross, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009
Broadly speaking, philosophy has three concerns: how the world hangs together, how our beliefs can be justified, and how to live.
—Jim Holt, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009
Almost none of the kids were older than twenty-five, as if there were a sell-by date on radical social philosophy, a legal age limit after which one must surrender lofty ideals and shave off all dreadlocks.
—Matthew Power, Harper's, March 2008
In their mission statement, the editors bragged of their firm commitment to equality and social justice, but their philosophy didn't prevent them from summoning Lindsey to perform all their menial tasks.
—Kim Wong Keltner, The Dim Sum of All Things, 2004
Her degree is in philosophy and religion.
The group eventually split over conflicting political philosophies.
Her main cooking philosophy is to use only fresh ingredients.
Daniel Gross, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009
Broadly speaking, philosophy has three concerns: how the world hangs together, how our beliefs can be justified, and how to live.
—Jim Holt, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009
Almost none of the kids were older than twenty-five, as if there were a sell-by date on radical social philosophy, a legal age limit after which one must surrender lofty ideals and shave off all dreadlocks.
—Matthew Power, Harper's, March 2008
In their mission statement, the editors bragged of their firm commitment to equality and social justice, but their philosophy didn't prevent them from summoning Lindsey to perform all their menial tasks.
—Kim Wong Keltner, The Dim Sum of All Things, 2004
Her degree is in philosophy and religion.
The group eventually split over conflicting political philosophies.
Her main cooking philosophy is to use only fresh ingredients.
Recent Examples on the Web
Enjoy blissfully chowing down in the dining room or hanging out in the adjacent bar and dog-friendly patio — or read up on the help-others philosophy of the restaurant and feel proud to support them.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Raised in Honolulu, Goodman studied English and philosophy at Harvard and received a PhD in English literature from Stanford.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
DeepMind’s big reorg This philosophy drove a massive internal reorganization in 2023, sparked by the rise of competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Other Cultural Factors In Vastu Shastra, which is an ancient Indian architecture philosophy aimed at bringing humans and buildings together in harmony, there are many superstitions surrounding south-facing homes.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for philosophy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Raised in Honolulu, Goodman studied English and philosophy at Harvard and received a PhD in English literature from Stanford.
—Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
DeepMind’s big reorg This philosophy drove a massive internal reorganization in 2023, sparked by the rise of competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Other Cultural Factors In Vastu Shastra, which is an ancient Indian architecture philosophy aimed at bringing humans and buildings together in harmony, there are many superstitions surrounding south-facing homes.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for philosophy
Cite this Entry
“Philosophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosophy. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
philosophy
noun
phi·los·o·phy
fə-ˈläs-(ə-)fē
plural philosophies
1
: the study of the basic ideas about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, religion, and the nature and meaning of life
2
: the philosophical teachings or principles of a person or group
Greek philosophy
3
: the general principles of a field of study or activity
the philosophy of history
4
: someone's basic beliefs about the way people should live
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