[= Fr. théosophe (a. 1784 Diderot in Littré), ad. med.L. theosophus (Scotus Erigena, a. 880), a. late Gr. θεόσοφ-ος (a. 500, Pseudo-Dionysius, De Div. Nom., § 6) wise concerning God, f. θεός God + σοφός wise.)
One who pursues THEOSOPHY (sense 1).
(The med.L. theosophus was often used for theologian, in contrast with philosophus.)
1822. Southey, in Q. Rev., Jan., 37. This Theosophe was too poor, too religious, and too insane to have any share in establishing the seminary … at Avignon.
1838. Fraser’s Mag., XVII. 27. The Theosophs were right in separating entirely the mind from the soul.
1878. Morley, Diderot, I. v. 203. The article on Theosophs would hardly have been so disproportionately long as it is, merely for the sake of Paracelsus.
1880. Chambers’ Encycl., IX. 400/1. Within the Christian period we may number among Theosophs, the Neo-Platonists…; the Hesychasts of the Greek Church [etc.].
