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contemplator

contemplator

7.4
A person who spends time thinking quietly and deeply
  • noun
  • /kənˈtɛm.pləˌteɪ.tər/
translation icon : contemplador
  • Acts 14:17 made this point—it told of gentile contemplators and worshippers, persons called and blessed by God's gracious aid.

Examples

  • In addition, contemplators, or individuals who are inactive but intend to become more active, perceive more time-effort barriers to exercise participation than do individuals who are in the training stage of exercise.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Ego orientations were highest in this sample among contemplators, suggesting that ego cues may be most relevant during this stage but become less meaningful over time.

    Academic text (2005)
  • If only the institution of art criticism, particularly that of the daily newspaper, were to think and write in a way that points to the joy and labor of making art instead of creating a fuss over what might go wrong or who triumphs for a season, then the intellectual processes of audience, creator, and contemplator would be more deftly combined, and the making of art would be the shared pleasure.

    Academic text (2000)
  • As a thoughtful contemplator, she often spends hours meditating in her garden.

  • The artist sat quietly as a contemplator, reflecting on the beauty of the landscape before her.

  • During his retreat, he embraced his role as a contemplator, pondering life’s deeper questions.

Synonyms

thinker
vscontemplator
142 3.8

A person who has deep ideas about important subjects

is less about public ideas and more about private time of thinking
meditator
vscontemplator
4 3.7

A person who sits quietly and focuses on breathing to relax

is more general, meaning someone spends time thinking rather than following a practice
deep thinker
vscontemplator
4 4.2

A person who spends time on serious, important ideas

is broader and can include quiet meditation not only abstract intellectual reflection
contemplative
vscontemplator
1 6.7

A person who spends a lot of time in quiet prayer or thought

is similar but more general, not limited to religious or spiritual reasons
ponderer
vscontemplator
1 7.5

A person who thinks deeply about ideas or problems

is broader, describing anyone who spends time thinking rather than careful deliberation
philosophizer
vscontemplator
  • US
1 9.4

A person who thinks deeply about basic questions of life

is more general, covering deep thought beyond strictly philosophical perspective
muser
vscontemplator
9.8

A person who spends time quietly thinking about life

is about spending time thinking deeply but not only quiet inward reflection
cogitator
vscontemplator
  • Formal
9.3

A person who thinks deeply about ideas or problems

is broader, spending time in deep thought or engaging in private reflection
ruminator
vscontemplator
8.9

A person who often thinks quietly and carefully about things

is wider, meaning general deep thinking rather than repeated inward review
excogitator
vscontemplator
9.9

A person who thinks carefully for a long time about problems or ideas

is more about spending time in thought rather than methodical analysis
reflectionist
vscontemplator
9.6

A person who often thinks deeply about their own thoughts and feelings

is broader, applying to deep thought in many areas not only personal review

How Contemplative

meditator
4 3.7
contemplator
7.4
thinker
142 3.8

Surface Forms

contemplator singular
contemplators plural

Morphology

contemplator = contemplate (transparent) = contemplate + or

Standard agentive noun formation from the verb 'contemplate' yields 'one who contemplates', so the meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

Contemplator comes from the Latin verb contemplari, which meant 'to observe' and was linked to temple, a quiet sacred place. So a contemplator is someone who sits quietly to think or meditate.