Meanings
- A method of teaching through questions rather than lectures.
Synonyms: elenchus, elenctic method, erotematic method, maieutics
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA method of teaching through questions rather than lectures.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna method of teaching by question and answer; used by Socrates to elicit truths from his students
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Named for Socrates, who employs it in Plato's dialogues.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek μαιευτικὴ τέχνη, μαιευτική
- μαιευτικὴ τέχνη (maieutikḕ tékhnē)Translations
- μαιευτική (maieutikḗ)Translations
- ἔλεγχος (élenkhos)Translations
Arabic طَرِيقَة سُقْرَاطَ
- طَرِيقَة سُقْرَاطَTranslations
Catalan maièutica, mètode socràtic
- maièuticaTranslations
- mètode socràticTranslations
Chinese Mandarin 蘇格拉底反詰法 /苏格拉底反诘法, 或作蘇格拉底法 /或作苏格拉底法
- 蘇格拉底反詰法 /苏格拉底反诘法 (Sūgélādǐ fǎnjiéfǎ)Translations
- 或作蘇格拉底法 /或作苏格拉底法 (huózuó Sūgélādǐ fǎ)Translations
Czech sokratovská metoda, maieutika
- sokratovská metodaTranslations
- maieutikaTranslations
Danish maieutik, majeutik
- maieutikTranslations
- majeutikTranslations
Dutch socratische methode, maieutiek
- socratische methodeTranslations
- maieutiekTranslations
Esperanto sokrata metodo, elenĥus
- sokrata metodoTranslations
- elenĥusTranslations
- elenkta metodoTranslations
- sokrata debatoTranslations
Estonian sokraatiline meetod
- sokraatiline meetodTranslations
Finnish sokraattinen menetelmä
- sokraattinen menetelmäTranslations
French maïeutique
- maïeutiqueTranslations
German sokratische Methode, Mäeutik
- sokratische MethodeTranslations
- MäeutikTranslations
- MaieutikTranslations
Greek μαιευτική
- μαιευτική (maieftikí)Translations
Hebrew השיטה הסוקרטית, וִכּוּחַ סוקרטי
- השיטה הסוקרטיתTranslations
- וִכּוּחַ סוקרטיTranslations
Indonesian metode Sokrates
- metode SokratesTranslations
Italian maieutica, metodo socratico
- maieuticaTranslations
- metodo socraticoTranslations
Japanese ソクラテス式問答法, 反対論証法
- ソクラテス式問答法 (Sokuratesu shiki mondō hō)Translations
- 反対論証法 (hantai ronshō hō)Translations
- ソクラテス式討論 (Sokuratesu shiki tōron)Translations
Korean 문답법, 소크라테스식 대화법
- 문답법 (mundapbeop)Translations
- 소크라테스식 대화법 (sokeurateseusik daehwabeop)Translations
Latin elenchus, maieutica
- elenchusTranslations
- maieuticaTranslations
Persian روش سقراطی, روش افلاطونی
- روش سقراطی (raveš soqrâti)Translations
- روش افلاطونی (raveš aflâtuni)Translations
Polish majeutyka, metoda sokratyczna
- majeutykaTranslations
- metoda sokratycznaTranslations
Portuguese maiêutica, método socrático
- maiêuticaTranslations
- método socráticoTranslations
Romanian maieutică
- maieuticăTranslations
Russian ме́тод Сокра́та, майе́втика
- ме́тод Сокра́та (métod Sokráta)Translations
- майе́втика (majjévtika)Translations
Slovak elenchos, maieutika
- elenchosTranslations
- maieutikaTranslations
Spanish mayéutica, método socrático
- mayéuticaTranslations
- método socráticoTranslations
- debate socráticoTranslations
Swedish maieutik, majevtik
- maieutikTranslations
- majevtikTranslations
- majeutikTranslations
Turkish doğurtuculuk, istilâdiye
- doğurtuculukTranslations
- istilâdiyeTranslations
- sokratik yöntemTranslations
Ukrainian майєвтика, маєвтика
- майєвтика (majjevtyka)Translations
- маєвтика (majevtyka)Translations
Cite this entry
Socratic method. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20method
“Socratic method.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20method. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Socratic method,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Socratic%20method.
Source: Socratic method on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.