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Refers to Plato (c.452–347BC) who was the pupil of Socrates in Athens who recorded his master’s sayings and wrote about his trial and death. Plato himself became a great philosopher in his own right, and taught Aristotle, the three of them forming the great triumvirate who effectively invented western philosophy. Platonic philosophy very much centred on his theories of realism, while politically he outlined an ideal city ruled by a benevolent philosopher despot in his book The Republic.

Platonic relationships are so called because Plato outlined just such a form of love in his work Symposium, one of his Dialogues. The original meaning of a love inspired by spirituality nowadays sees ‘Platonic’ meaning sexless.