philosophaster

[ fi-los-uh-fas-ter, fi-los-uh-fas-ter ]

noun
  1. a person who has only a superficial knowledge of philosophy or who feigns a knowledge they do not possess.

Origin of philosophaster

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin: “a bit of a philosopher.” See philosopher, -aster1

Words Nearby philosophaster

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use philosophaster in a sentence

  • The philosophaster's object was not to instruct, but to befool his hearers, as every page attests.

    The Basis of Morality | Arthur Schopenhauer