physics

B1 Topic:Physics

US /ˈfɪz.ɪks/ See IPA manual

Freq #5210

Meanings

1

noun
The science that studies matter, energy, and how they affect each other.

Their favourite subject at school was physics.
2

noun
The way physical forces work in a particular situation or system.

The physics of car crashes would never let anyone walk away so easily.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the science that studies... natural philosophy

Opposites

nonphysics

Word family

Derived forms agrophysicsareophysicscryophysicscytophysicselectrophysicshydrophysicsiatrophysicsmetametaphysicsmetaphysicsmultiphysicsnanophysicsoncophysics

Related forms acceleration density energy force mass matter motion particle physical physicist potential pressure

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

physics laboratory
a room or facility equipped for experiments in physics

Noun + noun

Etymology

1580s; from physic (see also -ics), from Middle English phisik, from Old French fisike (“natural science, art of healing”), from Latin physica (“study of nature”), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φυσικός (phusikós, “natural; physical”), from Ancient Greek φύσις (phúsis, “origin; nature, property”), from Ancient Greek φύω (phúō, “produce; bear; grow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear, become, rise up”).

*bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European phisik Middle English fisike Old French physica Latin φυσική Ancient Greek φύσις Ancient Greek φύω Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Physics Science & Research

External links

# physics

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɪz.ɪks/
**Frequency rank:** 5210

## Meanings
1. The science that studies matter, energy, and how they affect each other.
2. The way physical forces work in a particular situation or system.

## Examples
- Their favourite subject at school was physics.
- The physics of car crashes would never let anyone walk away so easily.

## Antonyms
- nonphysics

## Derived Forms
- agrophysics
- areophysics
- cryophysics
- cytophysics
- electrophysics
- hydrophysics
- iatrophysics
- metametaphysics
- metaphysics
- multiphysics
- nanophysics
- oncophysics

## Related Forms
- acceleration
- density
- energy
- force
- mass
- matter
- motion
- particle
- physical
- physicist
- potential
- pressure

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰuH-
- Root: phisik
- Root: fisike
- Root: physica
- Root: φυσική
- Root: φύσις
- Root: φύω

## Etymology
1580s; from physic (see also -ics), from Middle English phisik, from Old French fisike (“natural science, art of healing”), from Latin physica (“study of nature”), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φυσικός (phusikós, “natural; physical”), from Ancient Greek φύσις (phúsis, “origin; nature, property”), from Ancient Greek φύω (phúō, “produce; bear; grow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear, become, rise up”).

## AI Etymology
Physics is attested in the 1580s, from physic (see also -ics), from Middle English phisik, from Old French fisike (“natural science, art of healing”), from Latin physica (“study of nature”), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φυσικός (phusikós, “natural; physical”), from Ancient Greek φύσις (phúsis, “origin; nature, property”), from Ancient Greek φύω (phúō, “produce; bear; grow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to appear, become, rise up”). In present-day English it covers the science that studies matter, energy, and how they affect each other and the way physical forces work in a particular situation or system. The wider family includes derived forms such as agrophysics, areophysics, cryophysics, cytophysics, electrophysics and related forms such as acceleration, density, energy, force.

## Topics
- Physics
- Science & Research

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