physical

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfɪzɪkəl/ UK /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #2131

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to the body rather than the mind.

Regular physical exercise keeps you healthy.
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

noun
A medical examination to check that your body is healthy.

How long has it been since your last physical?

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · relating to real, material... material tangible

Opposites

mental psychical psychological spiritual

Word family

Forms nonphysicalphysicals

Derived forms aerophysicalagrophysicalantiphysicalastrophysicalbarophysicalbiophysicalcataphysicalchemicophysicalchemophysicalcyberphysicalecophysicalelectrophysical

Related forms checkupmetaphysical physicality physically physician physics

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

physical force
force applied through direct bodily strength

Adjective + noun
physical entity
something that exists as part of the material world

Adjective + noun
physical fitness
the condition of being bodily healthy and capable of physical activity

Adjective + noun
physical therapist
a professional who uses exercise and physical treatments to improve movement and function

Adjective + noun

Etymology

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”).

*bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European physica Latin φυσική Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Physics

External links

# physical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɪzɪkəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/
**Frequency rank:** 2131

## Meanings
1. Relating to the body rather than the mind.
2. Relating to real, material things that you can see and touch.
3. A medical examination to check that your body is healthy.

## Examples
- Regular physical exercise keeps you healthy.
- There is something special about reading a physical book instead of an e-book.
- How long has it been since your last physical?

## Antonyms
- mental
- psychical
- psychological
- spiritual

## Derived Forms
- aerophysical
- agrophysical
- antiphysical
- astrophysical
- barophysical
- biophysical
- cataphysical
- chemicophysical
- chemophysical
- cyberphysical
- ecophysical
- electrophysical

## Related Forms
- checkup
- metaphysical
- physicality
- physically
- physician
- physics

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰuH-
- Root: physica
- Root: φυσική
- Affix: -ical - relating to

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Physical was 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”). In present-day English it covers relating to the body rather than the mind, relating to real, material things that you can see and touch, and a medical examination to check that your body is healthy. The wider family includes derived forms such as aerophysical, agrophysical, antiphysical, astrophysical, barophysical and related forms such as checkup, metaphysical, physicality, physically.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Physics

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