Meanings
phrase
- an expression ofthe doctrine that all knowledge is subjective, being derived from observations made by humans, and there can be no objective truth
Origin
According to Plato, the phrase was coined by Greek philosopher Protagoras.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πάντων χρημάτων μέτρον ἄνθρωπος
- πάντων χρημάτων μέτρον ἄνθρωπος (pántōn khrēmátōn métron ánthrōpos)Translations
Catalan l'home és la mesura de totes les coses
- l'home és la mesura de totes les cosesTranslations
Chinese Mandarin 人类是一切的测量具
- 人类是一切的测量具Translations
Danish mennesket er alle tings mål
- mennesket er alle tings målTranslations
Estonian kõigi asjade mõõt on inimene
- kõigi asjade mõõt on inimeneTranslations
Finnish ihminen on kaiken mitta
- ihminen on kaiken mittaTranslations
French l'homme est la mesure de toute chose
- l'homme est la mesure de toute choseTranslations
German der Mensch ist das Maß aller Dinge
- der Mensch ist das Maß aller DingeTranslations
Italian l'uomo è misura di tutte le cose
- l'uomo è misura di tutte le coseTranslations
Latin homo mensura
- homo mensuraTranslations
Norwegian mannesket er målstokken for alle ting
- mannesket er målstokken for alle tingTranslations
Polish człowiek jest miarą wszystkiego
- człowiek jest miarą wszystkiegoTranslations
Russian челове́к есть ме́ра всех вещей существующих
- челове́к есть ме́ра всех вещей существующих (čelovék jestʹ méra vsex veščej suščestvujuščix)Translations
Spanish el hombre es la medida de todas las cosas
- el hombre es la medida de todas las cosasTranslations
Swedish människan är alltings mått
- människan är alltings måttTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
man is the measure of all things. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20is%20the%20measure%20of%20all%20things
MLA
“man is the measure of all things.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20is%20the%20measure%20of%20all%20things. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “man is the measure of all things,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20is%20the%20measure%20of%20all%20things.
Source: man is the measure of all things on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.