English
philosopause
Philosopause comes from Ancient Greek παῦσις ‘discontinuance’, and goes back to παύω ‘stop, end’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπαύω‘stop, end’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαῦσιςpaûsis‘discontinuance’
- Englishearliest quotation 1999philosopause
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπαύω‘stop, end’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπαῦσιςpaûsis‘discontinuance’
- Englishearliest quotation 1999philosopause
Earliest quotation: 1999, Anne H. Soukhanov: “This term, which is perhaps loosely derived from "menopause,"…”
A blend of philosophy + menopause
Ancient Greek φιλοσοφία ‘love of knowledge’
Latin philosophia ‘philosophy’
Old French philosophie ‘philosophy’
Middle English philosophie ‘philosophy; science’
English philosophy
Ancient Greek παύω ‘to make an end of, stop, abate’
Ancient Greek παῦσις ‘stopping, ceasing’
Latin pausa ‘a pause, halt, stop, cessation, end’
French ménopause
English menopause
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- ‘few, little’
few, poor, fewer, puppy, puppet, pupil, pediatrics, pedagogy, pave, filly, orthopedics, pupa, paucity, puerile, 28 more
through Ancient Greek παύω ‘stop, end’
through Ancient Greek παῦσις ‘discontinuance’
Today it means
noun The informally observed tendency of mature or elderly scientists, who apparently have outlived their most productive years of research and similar practical work, to discontinue or decrease their participation in such activity, in favour of pursuing, and often publishing, philosophical theories or speculations. Commonly the implication is that such works are beyond the authors' recognised field of
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek παύω / philosopause