English Meaning & Definitions
(of a relationship or affection) Close, intimate, and affectionate, but strictly non-sexual and non-romantic.
- “They have managed to maintain a purely platonic friendship for over a decade.”
- “Despite living together as roommates, their connection remained entirely platonic.”
Relating to or characteristic of the philosopher Plato, his writings, or his doctrine of ideal forms.
- “The concept of a perfect circle exists only as a Platonic ideal, impossible to reproduce flawlessly in reality.”
- “His philosophical arguments draw heavily on Platonic metaphysics.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “platonic”.
Derived from the name of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (c. 428–348 BCE). In his dialogue 'Symposium', Plato wrote about a higher form of love that transcends physical attraction to focus on mental and spiritual beauty. During the Renaissance, this concept evolved into the modern sense of a close, non-sexual relationship between individuals.
Think of Plato sitting on a plateau of pure friendship—elevated high above physical romance.
Frequently Asked Questions About “platonic”
1. What is the meaning of “platonic” in English?
In English, platonic (adjective) is defined as: “(of a relationship or affection) Close, intimate, and affectionate, but strictly non-sexual and non-romantic.”.
2. How do you use “platonic” in a sentence?
“They have managed to maintain a purely platonic friendship for over a decade.”
3. What are English synonyms of “platonic”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “platonic”?
Derived from the name of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (c. 428–348 BCE). In his dialogue 'Symposium', Plato wrote about a higher form of love that transcends physical attraction to focus on mental and spiritual beauty. During the Renaissance, this concept evolved into the modern sense of a close, non-sexual relationship between individuals.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.