platonic love

noun

often capitalized P
1
: love conceived by Plato as ascending from passion for the individual to contemplation of the universal and ideal
2
: a close relationship between two persons in which sexual desire is nonexistent or has been suppressed or sublimated

Examples of platonic love in a Sentence

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Sometimes, these doubles did not directly touch, like the two towers on stilts in a drawing from 1989, reflecting the fear of infection and transmission of HIV or the impossibility of a platonic love. Mateus Nunes, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2024 As the childhood friendship between two future game-makers blooms into a rich creative collaboration and, later, alienation, the book becomes a dazzling disquisition on art, ambition and the endurance of platonic love. New York Times, 8 July 2024 As for the platonic love between Faison and Braff, that began even before Scrubs debuted in 2001. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024 Love is in the air right now (whether that be romantic love, self-love, or platonic love with your besties) as Valentine's Day quickly approaches. Victoria Montalti, refinery29.com, 26 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for platonic love 

Word History

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of platonic love was in 1631

Dictionary Entries Near platonic love

Cite this Entry

“Platonic love.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/platonic%20love. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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