Foucault

[ foo-koh ]

noun

1. Jean Ber·nard Lé·on [zhah, n, be, r, -, nar, ley-, awn], 1819–68, French physicist.
2. Michel [mee-, shel], 1926–84, French philosopher.

Foucault

/ fuko /

noun

1. FoucaultJean Bernard Léon18191868MFrenchSCIENCE: physicist Jean Bernard Léon (ʒɑ̃ bɛrnar leɔ̃). 1819–68, French physicist. He determined the velocity of light and proved that light travels more slowly in water than in air (1850). He demonstrated by means of the pendulum named after him the rotation of the earth on its axis (1851) and invented the gyroscope (1852)
2. FoucaultMichel19261984MFrenchPHILOSOPHY: philosopher Michel . 1926–84, French philosopher and historian of ideas. His publications include Histoire de la folie (1961) and Les Mots et les choses (1966)

Foucault

/ fo̅o̅-kō′ /

1. French physicist who determined that light travels more slowly in water than in air, confirming predictions made by the wave theory of light. In 1850 Foucault also measured the absolute velocity of light. In 1851, by using a type of pendulum that is now named after him, Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the Earth, and in 1852 perfected a gyroscope for the same purpose.

Example Sentences

The show takes its title from a book by the French philosopher Michel Foucault, who describes the emergence of a discourse about something that is being societally suppressed.

From New York Times

He was anti-theory at a time when graduate students in the arts and humanities could not afford to be oblivious of Foucault, Derrida and the army of faddish post-modernists.

From Los Angeles Times

In all likelihood, he encountered the work of Foucault during his studies there.

From Salon

For Foucault, the essential question was “Can we live otherwise?”

From Washington Post

One long-ago September, I noticed works by various French thinkers — Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and the like — occasionally cropping up on the list.

From Washington Post