Pythagorean, a. and n.
(pɪθægəˈriːən, paɪ-)
Also 6 Pyˈthagoran, 6–7 Pythaˈgorian.
[f. L. Pȳthagorē-us, -ī-us, a. Gr. Πῡθαγόρειος, f. proper name Πῡθαγόρας Pythagoras + -an.
At first spelt and pronounced Pythaˈgorian; the spelling was changed c 1600–34, but the pronunciation was still used by Cowley and Dryden. Bailey 1731 (vol. II) has Pythaˈgorean, in 1736 (folio) Pythagoˈrean.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to Pythagoras, an ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician of Samos (6th c. b.c.), or to his system or school.
In early quots. often with allusion to the belief in the transmigration of souls, attributed to Pythagoras (whence the transf. use in b); sometimes to the consequent practice of his school of abstaining from animal flesh as food.
Pythagorean bean: see quot. 1858, and cf. bean n. 4. Pythagorean comma: see comma 3. Pythagorean letter, the Greek υ, used by P. as a symbol of the two divergent paths of virtue and of vice. Pythagorean lyre, a lyre of eight strings said to have been invented by Pythagoras. Pythagorean proposition or Pythagorean theorem, the 47th of the 1st book of Euclid, namely, that the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides: said to have been discovered by Pythagoras. Pythagorean scale, a scale of musical notes (nearly corresponding to the modern diatonic scale) attributed to Pythagoras: hence applied to the intervals of this scale, as Pythagorean semitone, Pythagorean third, etc. Pythagorean system (of Astronomy): see quot. 1704.
| 1579–80 North Plutarch, Dion (1896) vi. 143 Archytas the Pythagorian Philosopher. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iii. ii, If Pythagorian Axiomes be true, Of spirits transmigration. 1649 Ogilby tr. Virg. Georg. iv. (1684) 116 note, Upon this Pythagorean Opinion, ‘That Bees derive from a Celestial strain’. 1693 Dryden Juvenal's Sat. iii. 373 There, love the Fork, thy Garden cultivate, And give thy frugal Frinds a Pythagorean Treat. 1694 Holder Harmony (1731) 116 The Pythagoreans, not using Tone Minor, but two equal Tones Major, in a Fourth, were forced to take a lesser Interval for the Hemitone; which is call'd their Limma, or Pythagorean Hemitone. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, Pythagorean System, is the same with the Copernican,..being maintained by Pythagoras and his Followers, and therefore is the most ancient of any. 1785 Reid Intell. Powers iv. ii, The Platonic system of ideas..was the invention of the Pythagorean school. 1822 T. Taylor Apuleius i. 322 Desirous of imitating the Pythagorean abstinence and chastity. 1858 Baird Cycl. Nat. Sci. s.v. Nelumbiaceæ, The ‘faba ægyptiaca’, the Pythagorean bean,..is supposed by many to be the celebrated lotus of antiquity. 1878 W. H. Stone Sci. Basis Music v. 52 The third of the Greek scale was made by four fifths taken upwards, and is still called a Pythagorean third. |
b. transf. Metamorphosed, transformed.
| a 1667 Cowley Verses, on Chair made fr. Sir F. Drake's Ship, This Pythagorean Ship (for it may claim Without presumption so deserv'd a Name, By knowledge once, and transformation now). |
B. n. A disciple or follower of Pythagoras.
| 1550 W. Lynne Carion's Cron. 37 The Pythagorians taughte their doctrines priuatly amonge themselues. 1598–9 Marston Sat. i. iii, Giue him his fiddle once againe Or he's more mute then a Pythagoran. a 1612 Sir J. Harington Epigr. i. lxviii, An use there was among some Pythagoreans, If we give credit to the best Historians, How they..Did keep a wondrous strict and sparing diet. 1737 Whiston Josephus (1812) II. xv. x. 368 These men [Essenes] live the same kind of life as do those whom the Greeks call Pythagoreans. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. I. i. 5 Nearly three centuries before the Christian era, Aristotle following the lessons of the Pythagoreans, had taught that the earth is a sphere. |
b. transf. or
allusively. A person whose doctrine or practice agrees with that attributed to Pythagoras.
| 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe 31 The Rhomish rotten Pithagoreans or Carthusian friers, that mumpe on nothing but fishe. 1709–10 Steele Tatler No. 134 ¶1 This ancient Pythagorean, who has as much Honesty as any Man living, but good Nature to an Excess. 1817–18 Cobbett Resid. U.S. (1822) 207 Nor have even the Pythagoreans a much better battery against us. Sir Richard Phillips..does, indeed, eat neither flesh, fish, nor fowl... But..his shoes and breeches and gloves are made of the skins of animals. |
Hence
Pythagoˈreanism, the Pythagorean philosophy;
Pythagoˈreanize v. intr.,
= pythagorize v. 1 (
Cent. Dict. 1890);
Pythagoˈreanly adv., in a Pythagorean manner.
| 1727 Bailey vol. II, *Pythagoreanism, the Doctrine or Principles of the Pythagoreans. 1865 Sat. Rev. 4 Nov. 577 There is, by the way, a slight sniff of Pythagoreanism about the phrase ‘appreciative numbers’. |
| 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden Ep. Ded., I will tutour thee so *Pythagoreanly how to husband them in al companies. |