Heraclitean

[ her-uh-klahy-tee-uhn, -klahy-tee- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Heraclitus or his philosophy.

noun

1. a person who believes in or advocates the philosophy of Heraclitus.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Heraclitean¹

1785–95; < Latin Hēraclīte ( us ) (< Greek Hērakleíteios ) + -an

Example Sentences

“It was an exploration of a Heraclitean principle,” Ms. Strebe said.

From New York Times

He anticipated Einstein’s theory that energy is the essence of matter: Heraclitean fire suggests an absolutely unstable world, in constant flux, consuming and creating, life passing into death and death into life, day ousting night and night, day; and good, evil and evil, good.

From Wall Street Journal

The dog and the angel are twins of human nature—another pair of Heraclitean opposites.

From Wall Street Journal

Hannah SullThe long poems that make up Sullivan’s debut, Three Poems, are wise and witty, and spaciously unfold an account of a young woman’s love, disappointment and resilience in New York City, with Heraclitean philosophical musings and autobiographical reflections on birth and bereavement.

From The Guardian

The subject of “Lost Tribes and Promised Lands” is, in effect, the impossibility of stepping twice into the same stream; Subrin’s answer to the Heraclitean paradox is that it isn’t the stream that has changed, it’s you.

From The New Yorker