Merriam-Webster Word of the Day - Maieutic

WORD OF THE DAY December 7, 2017

maieutic    adjective | may-YOO-tik     Definition   : relating to or resembling the Socratic method of eliciting new ideas from another   Scroll down for more about maieutic       WORD GAMES AND QUIZZES: WEEKLY CHALLENGE   Intact Latin Quiz   What did each of these words mean to ancient Romans?     PLAY NOW     Nailed this quiz? We have plenty more to try!  TAKE ME THERE     Plus:   SEE WHAT LOOKUPS ARE TRENDING NOW!         Did You Know?   Maieutic comes from maieutikos, the Greek word for "of midwifery." In one of Plato's Dialogues, Socrates applies maieutikos to his method of bringing forth new ideas by reasoning and dialogue; he thought the technique analogous to those a midwife uses in delivering a baby (Socrates' mother was a midwife). A teacher who uses maieutic methods can be thought of as an intellectual midwife who assists students in bringing forth ideas and conceptions previously latent in their minds.     Examples of MAIEUTIC   "The maieutic art of Socrates consists, essentially, of asking questions designed to destroy prejudices; false beliefs which are often traditional or fashionable beliefs; false answers, given in the spirit of ignorant cocksureness." — Karl Popper, Conjectures and Refutations, 1962   "Montaigne wrote as a kind of maieutic exercise, a way of drawing his thoughts into the light of day, of discovering what he wanted to say as he said it." — James Somers, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2010   Test Your Vocabulary   Fill in the blanks to complete an adjective that means "of, relating to, or associated with childbirth": _ _ s _ et _ ic.   VIEW THE ANSWER           WORDS AT PLAY     8 Nicer Ways to Say 'Stupid'   As illustrated by some very smart, very good pups   SEE THE FULL LIST

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