Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher (perhaps 532 b. c.), or the school founded at Crotona (modern Cotrone), in Italy.
  • noun A follower of Pythagoras, the founder of the Italic sect of philosophers.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to Pythagoras (a Greek philosopher, born about 582 b. c.), or his philosophy.
  • adjective (Geom.) the theorem that the square described upon the hypothenuse of a plane right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares described upon the other two sides.
  • adjective (Astron.) the commonly received system of astronomy, first taught by Pythagoras, and afterward revived by Copernicus, whence it is also called the Copernican system.
  • adjective See Y.
  • noun A follower of Pythagoras; one of the school of philosophers founded by Pythagoras.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A person who believes in or advocates Pythagoreanism.
  • adjective Of or relating to Pythagoras.
  • adjective Of or relating to Pythagoreanism.
  • adjective Of or relating to a Pythagorean, Pythagoreans.
  • adjective archaic vegetarian

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to Pythagoras or his geometry

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Pythagoras +‎ -an

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Examples

  • "The formula X2 plus Y2 equals Z-, when graphed represents a perfect circle with a radius of Z, as described in what we call the Pythagorean Theorem," he said.

    Blue Adept Anthony, Piers 1981

  • "Well," said Éloise, after a moment's wondering pause, in which she had taken time to reflect that Mrs. Arles's corner of the estate was carried on faultlessly, "it is too bad to vex you with my matters, when you have as much as you can do in the house, yourself," -- and relapsed into what she called her Pythagorean errors.

    The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 13, No. 79, May, 1864 Various

  • First, anyone identified as a Pythagorean by an early source uncontaminated by the Neopythagorean glorification of Pythagoras (see below) can be regarded as a Pythagorean.

    Pythagoreanism Huffman, Carl 2006

  • Souls, at this period, were being transmigrated in Pythagorean fashion.

    Introduction Elwyn Brooks 1950

  • It was often at this time referred to as the Pythagorean theory, and it had been taught, I believe, by Aristarchus.

    Pioneers of Science Oliver Lodge 1895

  • So important was it thought to have "sound learning" guarded and "safe science" taught, that in many of the universities, as late as the end of the seventeenth century, professors were forced to take an oath not to hold the "Pythagorean" -- that is, the Copernican -- idea as to the movement of the heavenly bodies.

    A History of the warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom 1896

  • Long before Alexander, the Babylonians had discovered how to use complex fractions, quadratic equations, and what would come to be known as the Pythagorean theorem.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • Long before Alexander, the Babylonians had discovered how to use complex fractions, quadratic equations, and what would come to be known as the Pythagorean theorem.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • Long before Alexander, the Babylonians had discovered how to use complex fractions, quadratic equations, and what would come to be known as the Pythagorean theorem.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • In Fragment 6a Philolaus goes on to describe this harmony and what he describes is a musical scale, the scale known as the Pythagorean diatonic, which was used later by Plato in the Timaeus in the construction of the world soul.

    Philolaus Huffman, Carl 2008

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