Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The quality of wise moderation; sound-mindedness; discreet good sense: referring especially to Greek art and philosophy.

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

  • noun self control, temperance, soundness of mind

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

This definition is lacking an etymology or has an incomplete etymology. You can help Wiktionary by giving it a proper etymology. Ancient Greek

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Examples

  • A dialogue in which Socrates engages a handsome and popular boy in a conversation about the meaning of sophrosyne, a Greek word usually translated into English as "temperance", "self-control", or "restraint".

    Archive 2009-03-01 Jonathan Aquino 2009

  • A dialogue in which Socrates engages a handsome and popular boy in a conversation about the meaning of sophrosyne, a Greek word usually translated into English as "temperance", "self-control", or "restraint".

    Capsule Summaries of the Great Books of the Western World Jonathan Aquino 2009

  • A dialogue in which Socrates engages a handsome and popular boy in a conversation about the meaning of sophrosyne, a Greek word usually translated into English as "temperance",

    Jon Aquino's Mental Garden 2009

  • The ascetical message also resonated well with Hellenistic ideas about the "sober life" of the wise man or woman sophrosyne, and much of late first and second century Christian literature, such as the Didache, the Clementine Letters or the Shepherd of Hermas, began to stress the need for this wise lifestyle kind of sobriety as a fundamental character of general Christian discipleship.

    Norris J. Chumley, Ph.D.: The Compelling Spiritual Discipline Of Asceticism Ph.D. Norris J. Chumley 2011

  • The ascetical message also resonated well with Hellenistic ideas about the "sober life" of the wise man or woman sophrosyne, and much of late first and second century Christian literature, such as the Didache, the Clementine Letters or the Shepherd of Hermas, began to stress the need for this wise lifestyle kind of sobriety as a fundamental character of general Christian discipleship.

    Norris J. Chumley, Ph.D.: The Compelling Spiritual Discipline Of Asceticism Ph.D. Norris J. Chumley 2011

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

Comments

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  • Oh, Plato would weep if he was to see

    The state of our current democracy,

    Our meanest and least

    At hubristic feast

    And mocking poor starving sophrosyne.

    Pronunciation note: so-FROZ-a-nee

    May 16, 2018