platonic

Platonic is an adjective derived from the Greek philosopher Plato. It is used to describe ideas, theories, or traditions linked to Plato and his followers, collectively known as Platonism. In philosophy, Platonic refers to doctrines that posit a realm of abstract, non-material realities—often called the Forms or Ideas—that give true reality to universal properties and perfect exemplars. Physical objects are seen as imperfect copies or representations of these timeless forms. This framework influenced ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and political thought in ancient, medieval, and modern contexts.

In everyday language, platonic describes affection or relationships that are non-romantic and non-sexual. A platonic relationship emphasizes emotional intimacy, companionship, and mutual respect without romantic or sexual elements.

In geometry, Platonic solids are the five regular, convex polyhedra with congruent faces formed by identical regular polygons. The five solids are the tetrahedron, cube (hexahedron), octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. They are characterized by uniform faces and identical vertices and were associated in classical thought with the elements, harmony, and mathematical perfection. The term reflects historical connections between Plato’s philosophy and early mathematical study.

In broader discourse, platonic can describe related philosophical positions, such as platonism in the philosophy of mathematics, which asserts the existence of abstract mathematical objects independent of human minds. The term thus covers philosophy, aesthetics, psychology, and mathematics, while persisting as a common descriptor in cultural and intellectual contexts.