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Democritean

Democritean

9.9
A follower of the ancient Greek thinker Democritus who believes matter is made of atoms
  • noun
  • /ˌdɛməˈkraɪtɪən/
: democriteano
  • As a Democritean, she believed that everything in the universe is made up of small, indivisible particles.

Examples

  • The scientist, a devoted Democritean, often referenced the philosopher's ideas about the nature of matter.

  • This problem is solved, I believe, by the proposed theory of modes (the I. Heraclitean, the II. Democritean, and the III. Socratic), which in effect accounts for most of the dramatic representations of the Comedia.

    Academic text (1995)
  • II. Democritean Mode:

    Academic text (1995)
  • In his lectures, the professor emphasized the Democritean concept that the universe is composed of atoms in constant motion.

How Committed

disciple
128 6.1
devotee
28 6.0
adherent
20 6.6
Democritean
9.9
follower
180 1.6
sympathizer
34 4.8

Surface Forms

Democritean singular
Democriteans plural

Morphology

Democritean = Democritus (transparent) = Democritus + ean

The noun is formed with the same productive suffix '-ean' (used for adherents or those relating to a person), so the meaning 'a follower/supporter of Democritus' is directly derived.

Etymology

Democritean comes from the name Democritus plus the ending -ean, and it was used for someone who followed his idea that matter is made of tiny parts called atoms. So a Democritean is 'a follower or supporter of Democritus's ideas'.