English Reference
Adjective

platonic

adj.
C1 Advanced US /pɫəˈtɑnɪk/ UK /plætˈɒnɪk/ pla·ton·ic Philosophy

adj.describing a close relationship between two people that is friendly and loving but does not involve sex.

adj.characterised by a close relationship that is spiritual or intellectual rather than physical or sexual. Often used to distinguish deep friendships from romantic or sexual partnerships.


SIMPLE

They have a strictly platonic relationship.

CONTEXTUAL

After their brief attempt at dating, they realized they were much better suited to a platonic friendship.

COMPLEX

The film explores the nuances of a lifelong platonic bond, challenging the cultural assumption that a deep emotional intimacy must eventually lead to a romantic encounter.

Usage

When referring to relationships, it is usually written with a lowercase 'p'; when referring to the philosophy of Plato, it is capitalised.

This rollercoaster platonic relationship is with Stella, the girl she met at school shortly after moving from South Africa to the UK.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

The platonic ideal for Starship is full reusability, with both the first and second stages returning to the launch site and being re-stacked for launch within hours.

Ars Technica· 15 Jul 2026

From Latin Platōnicus. By surface analysis, Platon (“Plato”) + -ic (“relating to”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin Platōnicus
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated