Standard Lemma guide

kalokagathia

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌka.loʊ.kəˈɡeɪ.θi.ə/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A Platonic teaching consisting of the harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues. It is a classical Greek and Platonic ideal denoting the harmonious unity of bodily excellence, moral virtue, and intellectual cultivation. It expresses the integration of physical beauty, ethical character, and rational insight within a single, well-formed soul—where reason governs, spirit aligns with justice, and appetite is moderated. Rooted in the educational tradition of paideia, kalokagathia represents the perfection of human nature in accordance with both external nobility and inner truth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek καλοκαγαθίᾱ (kalokagathíā, “nobility, goodness”), from καλοκάγαθος (kalokágathos, “gentleman”), from καλός καὶ ἀγαθός (kalós kaì agathós, “beautiful and good”), shortened as καλός κἀγαθός (kalós kagathós), + -ίᾱ (-íā, “-ness”).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: калокагати́я (kalokagatíja) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Esperanto: kalokagacio — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • French: kalokagathie — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • German: Kalokagathia — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Greek: καλοκαγαθία (kalokagathía) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Ancient Greek: καλοκαγαθίᾱ (kalokagathíā) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Italian: kalokagathia — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Polish: kalokagatia — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Russian: калокагати́я (kalokagatíja) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Russian: калокага́тия (kalokagátija) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Serbo-Croatian: калокага̀тија — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Serbo-Croatian: kalokagàtija — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Slovak: kalokagatia — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues
  • Ukrainian: калокагаті́я (kalokahatíja) — harmonious combination of bodily, moral and spiritual virtues