Apollonian

American  

[ap-uh-loh-nee-uhn] / ˌæp əˈloʊ ni ən /

adjective

1. pertaining to the cult of Apollo.

2. (lowercase) serene, calm, or well-balanced; poised and disciplined.

3. (lowercase) having the properties of or preferring classic beauty.

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Apollonian British  

/ ˌæpəˈləʊnɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Apollo or the cult of Apollo

2. (sometimes not capital) (in the philosophy of Nietzsche) denoting or relating to the set of static qualities that encompass form, reason, harmony, sobriety, etc

3. (often not capital) harmonious; serene; ordered

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Etymology

Origin of Apollonian

1655–65; < Greek apollṓni ( os ) of Apollo + -an

Compare meaning

How does apollonian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Apollonian vs. Dionysian

Example Sentences

But Kennedy is also embarrassing himself by putting out photo and video content meant to prove that he, at age 69, is some kind of Apollonian model of physical perfection.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2023

Where Michelle’s marquise is ruled by an Apollonian temperament, Vetter puts a heavy thumb on the “love” scale.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2023

If Ms. O’Hara’s singing was a delightful surprise, Mr. Andsnes’s Apollonian account of Grieg’s Piano Concerto, with the Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, was an unexpected one.

From New York Times • Dec. 4, 2019

The protagonist of “Sun King” is a “Walrus”-like trickster spewing Apollonian gibberish in broken Spanish and Italian.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 21, 2019

Rumsey closed with an appeal for nurturing the artistic temperament in young and old alike, “to stoke that Apollonian ember in all mortal beings.”

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead