physical

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Relating to the body rather than the mind.

   Regular physical exercise keeps you healthy.

2. 2
   adj

   Relating to real, material things that you can see and touch.

   There is something special about reading a physical book instead of an e-book.

3. 3
   noun

   A medical examination to check that your body is healthy.

   How long has it been since your last physical?

Common collocations

• physical force Adjective + noun

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”).

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