ENGLISH
REFERENCE

augustine

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɑɡəˌstin// au·gus·tine

n. a famous thinker and leader in the early Christian church. He is best known for his books about his life and his ideas on how people should live.

n. A prominent fourth-century theologian and philosopher whose writings significantly influenced Western Christianity and philosophy. When used as a proper name, it typically refers to Augustine of Hippo.


SIMPLE

Many students study the writings of Augustine in their philosophy classes.

CONTEXTUAL

The professor spent the entire semester analyzing the theological arguments presented by Augustine in his most famous works.

COMPLEX

Scholars often debate the extent to which the philosophical framework established by Augustine shaped the subsequent development of medieval European political thought and individual ethics.

Etymology 1

From Latin Augustīnus, derivative of Augustus. Doublet of Austin.

Etymology 2

From French Augustine, from Latin Augustīna. Doublet of Augustina.

Usage

Usually functions as a proper noun referring to the historical figure; can be countable when referring to multiple people with the name.

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