Neoplatonism

[ nee-oh-pleyt-n-iz-uhm ]

noun

1. Sometimes neoplatonism. a philosophical system, originated in the 3rd century a.d. by Plotinus, founded chiefly on Platonic doctrine and Eastern mysticism, with later influences from Christianity. It holds that all existence consists of emanations from the One with whom the soul may be reunited.

Other Words From

• Ne·o·pla·ton·ic [nee-oh-pl, uh, -, ton, -ik], adjective
• Neo·plato·nist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Neoplatonism¹

First recorded in 1835–45; neo- + Platonism

Example Sentences

He rants about Descartes, human destiny, time’s linearity, Neoplatonism, economic theory, the concertos of Alban Berg.

From New York Times

In this he’s in league with untold numbers of 20th- and 21st-century artists who have found creative inspiration in programs like Neoplatonism, Theosophy, the kabbalah, Rosicrucianism and astrology.

From New York Times

The Alawite faith, developed a millennium ago, is a strange, mystic blend of Neoplatonism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism.

From New York Times

The influence of Neoplatonism, the baptism of multitudes of nominal Christians after Constantine, and the decline of zeal which necessarily accompanied prosperity, had all in different ways the same tendency.

From Project Gutenberg

Neoplatonism, and the philosophies that were allied to it, were fundamentally pantheistic,618 but they differed widely from the pantheism of the Stoics.

From Project Gutenberg