sophron

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σώφρων (sṓphrōn, “sane, moderate, prudent”) (from σῶς (sôs, “safe, sound, whole”) + φρήν (phrḗn, “mind”)).

Adjective

sophron (comparative more sophron, superlative most sophron)

1. (in Ancient Greek philosophy) Of a sound and well-balanced mind; moderate, prudent, sensible, reasonable.
   • 1998, Walter T. Schmid, Plato's Charmides and the Socratic Ideal of Rationality, page 11:

     As a young gentleman, Charmides was expected to be sophron, self- restrained in his moral behavior, and we learn in the prologue that he so well fulfills this expectation that he is regarded as the most moderate [sophronestatos, 157d6) of the young men of his generation.

   • 2015, David Lawrence Levine, Profound Ignorance: Plato's Charmides and the Saving of Wisdom:

     Even if, the argument notwithstanding, quiet deeds should somehow emerge as more beautiful and not fewer in number “in walking and speaking or anywhere else,” even given this, the quiet life would be no more sophron than the non-quiet.

Related terms

• sophrosyne, Sophrosyne

Anagrams

• orphons