Quick Definition
φιλόσοφος, ου, ὁ n.m. a philosopher
Strong's Definition
from 5384 and 4680; fond of wise things, i.e. a "philosopher"
KJV Usage: philosopher
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ου | φιλέω + σοφίζω
32.39 · Understand · Capacity for Understanding
philosopher, scholar a person of professional or semi-professional status regarded as having particular capacity or competence in understanding the meaning or significance of human experience In some instances φιλόσοφος in ACT 17:18 may be translated simply as ‘teacher,’ since such a word would normally designate a professional or semi-professional person involved in scholarly activities.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
φιλόσοφος, -ov, ὁ, (φίλος and σοφόςῚ, a philosopher, one given to the pursuit of wisdom or learning [Xen., Plat., al.]; in a narrower sense, one who investigates and discusses the causes of things and the highest good: Acts xvii. 18. [See reff. under the preceding word.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
φιλόσοφος philosophos 1x
pr. a lover of science, a systematic philosopher, Acts 17:18*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
φιλό-σοφος, -ου, ὁ
[in LXX: Da LXX 1:20 (אַשָּׁף), IV Mac 1:1 5:35 7:7 * ;]
a philosopher: Ac 17:18.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
φιλόσοφος. For this word in the wide sense of ‘‘a lover of wisdom,” cf. P Oxy I. 33% 8 cited s.v. φιλάγαθος, and the inscr. BCH xxii. (1898), p. 496, in which a woman is described as ἢ φίλανδρος Kal σίώϊφρων ἡ φιλόσοφος ζήσασα κοσμίως, “loving her husband and sober-minded, a lover of wisdom, she lived modestly.’” ‘The more technical sense may be illustrated by P Ryl If. 1433 (A.D. 38) Avdipo . . . τῶν ἐν τῷ Μουσείωι σειτουμένων φιλοσόφων ἀτελῶν στρατηγῶι, ‘‘to Didymus.. . one of the philosophers maintained in the Museum immune from charges, strategus,” and by the inser. OG/S 714° with the editor’s note. See also the private letter P Hamb I. 373. (ii/A.b.) in which the writer addresses his friend— ἀναγκαῖον γάρ ἐστι μνημίσκεσθαι (/. μιμνήσκεσθαι).. τοῦ ἤθους σου τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ ({ς) φιλοσόφου. Σὺ γὰρ ἀληθινὸς φιλόσοφος καὶ εὐσχήμων γεγένησαι]... καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑϊπὸ σοῦ βέλτιο]ν παιδευόμεθα ἢ ὑ[πὸ συμπάντων] τῶν φιλοσόφων.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
φιλόσοφος (philosophos) — philosopher. φῐλόσοφος, ὁ, lover of wisdom; Pythagoras called himself φιλόσοφος, not σοφός, Cic [Refs 5th c.BC+] {φιλοσπῆλυγξ}; φ. φύσει, τὴν φύσιν, [Refs]; φ. τῇ ψυχῇ, opposed to φιλόπονος τῷ σώματι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: used of all men of education and learning, joined with φιλομαθής and φιλόλογος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to σοφιστής, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later, academician, of the members of the Museum at Alexandria, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
2. philosopher, i. e. one who speculates on truth and reality, οἱ ἀληθινοὶ φ., defined as οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας φιλοθεάμονες, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ φιλόσοφος, of Aristotle, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ὁ σκηνικὸς φ., of Euripides, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; as the butt of Comedy texts, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. as adjective, loving knowledge, philosophic, ἄνδρες [Refs 5th c.BC+]; διάνοια[Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. of arguments, sciences, etc., scientific, philosophic, λόγοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λόγοι -ώτεροι, of instructive speeches, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ φ., opposed to τὸ θυμοειδές, as an element of the soul, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. ingenious, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. adverb -φως, διακεῖσθαι πρός τι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ῥητορικῶς, [Refs 1st c.BC+].; comparative -ωτέρως[Refs 4th c.BC+]; -ώτερον [Refs 5th c.BC+]