Democritus
/dɪˈmɒkrɪtəs/noun
An ancient Greek philosopher best known for developing an early atomic theory of matter.
Did you know?Democritus argued that everything consisted of indivisible atoms moving through empty space, centuries before modern atomic theory.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*demh₂-
“To divide or distribute; a proposed root associated with the Greek idea of a people or community”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dêmos (δῆμος)
“A people, common population, or political community”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*krei-
“To separate, distinguish, or judge”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kritós (κριτός)
“Chosen, selected, or judged”
5th Century BCE
Greek
Dēmókritos (Δημόκριτος)
“A Greek personal name meaning “chosen by the people””
Modern English
English
Democritus
“The conventional English form of the philosopher’s name”
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