a. and sb. rare. [ad. mod.L. zētēticus, a. Gr. ζητητικός, f. ζητεῖν to seek, inquire.]
A. adj. Inquiring, investigating; proceeding by inquiry or investigation.
In quot. 1645 used in burlesque.
1645. Urquhart, Trissotetras, Wks. (1834), 145. Zetetick, is said of loxogonospherical moods which agree in the same quæsitas.
1660. Stanley, Hist. Philos., XII. (1687), 771/1. This was called the Zetetick Philosophy, from its continual enquiry after Truth.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Zetetick Method in Mathematicks, is the Analytick, or Algebraick way.
1849. S. B. Rowbotham (title), Zetetic Astronomy. A description of several experiments which prove that the surface of the sea is a perfect plane and that the Earth is not a Globe!
1885. Bookseller, 7 Jan., 12/1. A party of Zetetic astronomers with scientific instruments.
B. sb. 1. (sing. or pl.) Investigation, inquiry (as in mathematics, etc.).
Often with allusion to Franciscus Vieta’s Zeteticorum libri quinque.
1679. Moxon, Math. Dict. (1701), Zetetique, numbers used in Algebra and Equations by the famous Vieta.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVII. 775/2. Zetetics, a name given by Vieta … to the part of algebra which consists in the direct search after unknown quantities.
1853. W. Thomson, Laws Th. (ed. 3), § 35. [Logic] has been called … Zetetic or the Art of seeking.
2. An investigator, inquirer; spec. an adherent of the ancient Greek sceptic school of philosophy (see SCEPTIC A., B. 1).
1660. Stanley, Hist. Philos., XII. (1687), 772/2. These all were called Pyrrhonians from their Master; Aporeticks, and Scepticks, and Ephecticks, and Zeteticks, from their (as it were) Doctrine.
1838. J. Rowbotham, Dict., 66. The ancient Pyrrhonists were called Zetetics or seekers.
Hence Zetetically adv. [see -ICALLY], by way of inquiry or investigation.
1665. Hooke, Microgr., ix. 55. It would be somewhat too long … zetetically to examine … what particular kind of motion it is.
