Added 8 October 2026
physical
/ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/ adjective
Latin root: physicālis Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about physical at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Of medicine. Pertaining to the field of medicine; medical. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller} That practises medicine; pertaining to doctors, physicianly. Medicinal; good for the health, curative, therapeutic.
- Pertaining to the field of medicine; medical. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
- That practises medicine; pertaining to doctors, physicianly.
noun
-
A physical examination.
How long has it been since your last physical?
- A physical manifestation of psychic origin, as through ectoplasmic solidification.
Origin
Borrowed from Late Latin physicālis, from Latin physica (“study of nature”), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φυσικός (phusikós, “natural; physical”), from φύσις (phúsis, “origin, birth; nature, quality; form, shape; type, kind”), from φῠ́ω (phŭ́ō, “grow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear, become, rise up”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)