Thales is a proper noun (a Greek name) used for notable philosophers, mathematicians, and institutions; in discourse it refers specifically to the pre-Socratic philosopher Thales of Miletus. It is pronounced with two syllables and a stress on the first: /ˈteɪ.liːz/ in many contexts, though some pronunciations render the second vowel more like a schwa. The term has historical significance and appears in academic, historical, and biographical usage.
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