Platonism

[ pleyt-n-iz-uh m ]
/ ˈpleɪt nˌɪz əm /

noun

the philosophy or doctrines of Plato or his followers.
a Platonic doctrine or saying.
the belief that physical objects are impermanent representations of unchanging Ideas, and that the Ideas alone give true knowledge as they are known by the mind.
(sometimes lowercase) the doctrine or practice of platonic love.

Origin of Platonism

From the New Latin word Platōnismus, dating back to 1560–70. See Platonic, -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM Platonism

Pla·to·nist, noun, adjective an·ti-Pla·to·nism, noun an·ti-Pla·to·nist, noun, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for platonism

British Dictionary definitions for platonism

Platonism
/ (ˈpleɪtəˌnɪzəm) /

noun

the teachings of Plato and his followers, esp the philosophical theory that the meanings of general words are real existing abstract entities (Forms) and that particular objects have properties in common by virtue of their relationship with these Forms Compare nominalism, conceptualism, intuitionism
the realist doctrine that mathematical entities have real existence and that mathematical truth is independent of human thought
See Neo-Platonism

Derived forms of Platonism

Platonist, noun

Cultural definitions for platonism

Platonism
[ (playt-n-iz-uhm) ]

The philosophy of Plato, or an approach to philosophy resembling his. For example, someone who asserts that numbers exist independently of the things they number could be called a Platonist.