Pythagorean

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/p(a)ɪˌθaɡəˈɹiːən/South Asia/ˌpajt̪əˈɡorɪjən/

noun

A follower of Pythagoras; someone who believes in or advocates Pythagoreanism.

Similar
UncommonFirst used 16th c.Scrabble 20

Meanings

nounPythagorean (plural Pythagoreans)

plural Pythagoreans

  1. A follower of Pythagoras; someone who believes in or advocates Pythagoreanism.First known use 16th c.

    Plato clearly distinguished the Orphics and the Pythagoreans.

    2021, Andrea Nightingale, Philosophy and Religion in Plato's Dialogues, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 137
    1 more example

    Plato could still speak the language of archaic myth. He could speak it, because he was a Pythagorean, and myth was their technical language.

    1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 268
adjectivePythagorean (comparative more Pythagorean, superlative most Pythagorean)

comparative more Pythagorean · superlative most Pythagorean

  1. Pertaining to Pythagoras.First known use 16th c.

    Synonyms: Pythagoric

  2. Pertaining to the philosophy of Pythagoras.First known use 16th c.

    Synonyms: Pythagoric

  3. Following the lifestyle advocated by the Pythagoreans; specifically, vegetarian.First known use 17th c.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePertaining to Pythagoras.

Similar

adjectivePertaining to the philosophy of Pythagoras.

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Origin

  1. LatinPȳthagorēus“pertaining to Pythagoras”
  2. EnglishPythagorean

From Latin Pȳthagorēus (“pertaining to Pythagoras”) + -an. Compare Pythagoric.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian питагореец, питагоров
  • питагореец (pitagoreec)follower of Pythagoras
  • питагоров (pitagorov)of or relating to Pythagoras
  • питагорейски (pitagorejski)of or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Catalan pitagòric, pitagòrica
  • pitagòricfollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagòricafollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagòricof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pitagòricof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Czech pythagorejec, pythagorovec
  • pythagorejecfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagorovecfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagorovof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pythagorejskýof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pythagorejskýof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Dutch pythagoreeër, pythagorisch
  • pythagoreeërfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagorischof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Esperanto pitagorano, hipitagorano
  • pitagoranofollower of Pythagoras
  • hipitagoranofollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagoraninofollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagoraof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
  • pitagorismaof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
  • pitagoranaof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
  • hipitagoranaof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
  • jipitagoranaof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Finnish pythagoralainen, pythagoralainen
  • pythagoralainenfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagoralainenof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
French pythagoricien, pythagoricienne
  • pythagoricienfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagoriciennefollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagoriqueof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pythagoricienof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
German Pythagoreer, Pythagoreerin
  • Pythagoreerfollower of Pythagoras
  • Pythagoreerinfollower of Pythagoras
  • Pythagoräerfollower of Pythagoras
  • Pythagoräerinfollower of Pythagoras
  • pythagoreischof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
  • pythagoräischof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Irish Píotagarásach
  • Píotagarásachof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Italian pitagorico, pitagorico
  • pitagoricofollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagoricoof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Polish pitagorejski, pitagorejski
  • pitagorejskiof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pitagorejskiof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Russian пифагоре́ец, пифаго́ров
  • пифагоре́ец (pifagoréjec)follower of Pythagoras
  • пифаго́ров (pifagórov)of or relating to Pythagoras
  • пифагоре́йский (pifagoréjskij)of or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Spanish pitagórico, pitagórico
  • pitagóricofollower of Pythagoras
  • pitagóricoof or relating to Pythagoras
  • pitagóricoof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Swedish pythagoreisk
  • pythagoreiskof or relating to Pythagoras or his philosophy
Cite this entry
APA

Pythagorean. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pythagorean

MLA

“Pythagorean.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pythagorean. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Pythagorean,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pythagorean.

Source: Pythagorean on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.