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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Philosophour, n. Also: -sophur, -er; -sephoure; -suphur; phylosophyre, -syphere; phelosiphour, phelasaphour; philosoquhair. [ME. and e.m.E. philosopher (Manning), -siphir, -soffer, filosophur, etc., f. as Philosophre, ‘the ending being subseq. identified in Eng. with that of agent nouns in -er; sometimes with those in -our’ (OED.). See also Philosoph.] One who devotes himself to philosophy, in any of its branches, in the senses of Philosophy n.; a philosopher or natural philosopher.(1) c1420 Ratis R. 167.
Trow weil the philosophuris word Than sonar slais ill air na suord Ib. 1771. 1456 Hay II. 115/2 i, etc.
God … has … gevin the philosophouris grace to knawe all science of nature Ib. 150/30.
Be the constellacioun of the quhilk barnis nativitee the philosophour jugit him tobe subtile of engyne 1490 Irland Mir. II. 91/14.
All clerkis logicianis philosophouris and theologis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 5.
Schir ȝe haue mony servitouris … Divinouris rethoris and philosophouris Astrologis artistis and oratouris 1533 Boece ii. x. 75 b.
Philosophouris … be certane coniecturacioun … mycht persave the ground to myneris and metallis was mare gevin than to bere corne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2629.
Diogenes That great famous philosophour 1549 Compl. 16/11.
I exort al philosophouris historigraphours & oratours … til excuse my barbir agrest termis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 104.
I sall send for all my ding doctouris Phisitianes and my philosophouris 1562-3 Winȝet II. 48/35.
Quhat philosophour worschipit him [Origen] nocht as a maister? a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 98.
For fortoun is nocht bot ane fabill vane Inuentit be philosophouris profane(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 2543.
As sayes the autoures That of all wit war gouernoures That philosophers and dyuinours war 1570 Leslie 6.
Mickell better then be the instructione of ony philosopher 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57.
For I can not tak you [M. Randolph] for ane stoik philosopher, havinge … ane cairles skeptik hart a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 373.
Art thou ane philosopher and can tel all the starris and can seirch out all the minerallis and can gang doun to the center of the eirth(c) c1420 Wynt. v. 1362.
The phylosophyre Secundus Wes in hys flourys(d) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 73 (Arund.).
That morall man and famous phelasaphour 1528 Lynd. Dreme 640.
Phelosiphouris(e) a1400 Leg. S. v. 89.
Phylosyphere 1490 Irland Mir. I. 5/2.
As writtis the gret and devin philosephoure [pr. philosophoure] Plato Ib. 5/5. a1538 Abell 5 a.
[Athens] wes the nuris of naturall science & philosuphuris(f) c1615 Chron. Kings 8.
Philosoquhairis(2) 1456 Hay I. 88/14.
Oure autouris philosophouris sais that in all thingis men lukis to the end

b. Philosophour naturall, a physicist. — 1456 Hay I. 67/21.
The gretest clerkis philosophouris naturale that ever wais 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 38.
He writis lyke a philosophour naturall

c. The Philosopher, spec. applied to Aristotle, as in ME. (Chaucer) and e.m.E. — 1456 Hay II. 73/12, et passim.
Here declaris the philosophour ane other poynt of medicyne 1483 Acta Aud. *112/1.
Thre Inglis bukis, ane of the philosophouris sawis 1549 Compl. 149/29.
The philosophour sais that the cause of ane thing is of mair efficacite nor is the thyng that procedis fra the cause

d. As a to-name. — 1698 Retours I. Inq. Spec. Dumfries (350).
Hæres … Roberti Comitis de Nithsdale vulgo nuncupati lie Philosopher