Aristippus
/ˌærɪˈstɪpəs/noun
Aristippus was a fifth-century BCE Greek philosopher and founder of the Cyrenaic school, which emphasized immediate pleasure.
Did you know?Aristippus was associated with the Cyrenaic philosophy of hedonism, yet ancient sources portray him as valuing self-command: possessing pleasures without becoming possessed by them.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁erǵistos / *h₁eḱu̯os
“The name ultimately combines an Indo-European superlative root meaning “best” with the ancient root for “horse.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄριστος (áristos)
““Best” or “excellent,” the superlative of agathos, “good.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἵππος (híppos)
““Horse,” a major prestige animal in Greek society and warfare.”
5th Century BCE
Greek
Ἀρίστιππος (Arístippos)
“The personal name Aristippus, literally understood as “best horse” or “having the best horse.””
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Aristippus
“Latin form of the Greek philosopher’s name, used in classical philosophical and historical writing.”
Modern English
English
Aristippus
“The conventional English name for the Greek philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene.”
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