maieutic

[ mey-yoo-tik ]
/ meɪˈyu tɪk /

adjective

of or relating to the method used by Socrates of eliciting knowledge in the mind of a person by interrogation and insistence on close and logical reasoning.

Origin of maieutic

1645–55; < Greek maieutikós of, pertaining to midwifery, equivalent to maieú(esthai) to serve as a midwife (akin to maîa midwife) + -tikos -tic

Words nearby maieutic

Example sentences from the Web for maieutic

British Dictionary definitions for maieutic

maieutic

maieutical

/ (meɪˈjuːtɪk) /

adjective

philosophy of or relating to the Socratic method of eliciting knowledge by a series of questions and answers

Word Origin for maieutic

C17: from Greek maieutikos relating to midwifery (used figuratively by Socrates), from maia midwife