• philomathy •
Pronunciation: fi-lah-mê-thee • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun, mass
Meaning: The love of learning.
Notes: It is amazing that this word, dating back to the end of the 16th century, has found so little work since then, that it has almost slipped from our grasp. Well, here is alphaDictionary's effort to jumpstart this word and its entire family. Its family includes an adjective, philomathic or philomathical and an adverb philomathically. The agent noun is philomath. I hope all read this will have many uses for the whole family.
In Play: Wouldn't you like to hear people say things like this more often: "Pure philomathy drove Aaron Spelling beyond his AB in medieval philosophy to a PhD in the subject". Unfortunately, we are more likely to hear things like this: "I think Archer Bowman was motivated to go to college less by philomathy and more by his interests in the athletic programs." (Can you guess Archer's sport?)
Word History: This word began in ancient Greek as philomathia from philos "beloved, loving" + mathos "learning". It was borrowed by Latin, which apparently had plenty of use for it, passing it on to French as philomathie, where English nabbed it. Philos appears in many words English borrowed from Greek, including philosophy, the love of wisdom, bibliophile, a book lover and, of course, Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Mathos you have no doubt already associated with mathematics but did you know that this word, Greek mathematikos, was originally an adjective which by itself meant "fond of learning"?
PHILOMATHY
- Dr. Goodword
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PHILOMATHY
• The Good Dr. Goodword
Re: PHILOMATHY
A good word, Doctor!
Love of learning is, it often seems, forbidden love indeed.
Sr. Purgatoria: Math is easy! Math is fun!
[indistinguishable background mumbling]
Sr. Purgatoria: You! You were talking! One 'Math Punishment Sheet' for you!
-gailr
why are there aftermaths but not beforemaths...
Love of learning is, it often seems, forbidden love indeed.
Takes me back to parochial school, that...Mathos you have no doubt already associated with mathematics but did you know that this word, Greek mathematikos, was originally an adjective which by itself meant "fond of learning"?
Sr. Purgatoria: Math is easy! Math is fun!
[indistinguishable background mumbling]
Sr. Purgatoria: You! You were talking! One 'Math Punishment Sheet' for you!
-gailr
why are there aftermaths but not beforemaths...
Some are aroused by math, others find it somewhat soporific,mathematic
c.1380 as singular, replaced by early 17c. by mathematics (1581), from L. mathematica (pl.), from Gk. mathematike tekhne "mathematical science," fem. sing. of mathematikos (adj.) "relating to mathematics, scientific," from mathema (gen. mathematos) "science, knowledge, mathematical knowledge," related to manthanein "to learn," from PIE base *mn-/*men-/*mon- "to think, have one's mind aroused" (cf. Gk. menthere "to care," Lith. mandras "wide-awake," O.C.S. madru "wise, sage," Goth. mundonsis "to look at," Ger. munter "awake, lively"). Mathematics (pl.) originally denoted the mathematical sciences collectively, including geometry, astronomy, optics. Math is the Amer.Eng. shortening, attested from 1890; the British preference, maths is attested from 1911.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous
Anonymous
Not completely unemployed!
The public library in my little town has the distinguished title of "Ulysses Philomathic Library". There is a stone engraved at the entrance, which says "philomathic means a love of learning." There may be other Ulysses Libraries in the United States, but none so fond of learning.
http://trumansburglibrary.org/upl/news.php
http://trumansburglibrary.org/upl/news.php
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