Ptolemy - English meaning

proper noun

The name of all the macedonian rulers of egypt, a dynasty founded by ptolemy, the close friend and general of alexander the great, who took charge of egypt after the latter's death and declared himself king (ptolemy i) in 304 bc. the dynasty ended with the death of cleopatra in 30 bc.

proper noun

(2nd century) greek astronomer and geographer. his teachings had enormous influence on medieval thought, the geocentric view of the cosmos being adopted as christian doctrine until the late renaissance. ptolemy's geography, giving lists of places with their longitudes and latitudes, was also a standard work for centuries, despite its inaccuracies.