Stoicism
/ˈstoʊ.ɪ.sɪzəm/noun
A philosophy emphasizing rational self-control, virtue, and resilience in the face of events beyond one’s control.
Did you know?The school took its name from the Stoa Poikile, or “Painted Porch,” in Athens, where Zeno of Citium taught around the early third century BCE.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steh₂-
“To stand or remain in place”
Ancient Greek
Greek
στοά (stoa)
“A covered colonnade or porch”
3rd Century BCE
Greek
Στωϊκός (Stōïkos)
“Of the Stoa, referring to the philosophical school founded by Zeno”
Late Latin
Latin
Stoicus
“Stoic; belonging to the Stoic school”
16th Century
English
Stoic
“A person practicing emotional endurance and self-control”
17th–18th Century
English
Stoicism
“The philosophical system or characteristic practice of Stoic endurance”
Modern English
English
stoicism
“Calm endurance and rational self-control, especially under difficulty”