Standard Lemma guide

physical

adj · noun · 19 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australian, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/
  • Australian, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: [ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl] ~ [ˈfɪz.ɪ.kl̩]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪzɪkəl
  • CMU ARPABET: F IH1 Z IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of medicine.

Pertaining to the field of medicine; medical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of medicine.

That practises medicine; pertaining to doctors, physicianly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of medicine.

Medicinal; good for the health, curative, therapeutic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of matter and nature.

Pertaining to the world as understood through the senses rather than the mind, having to do with the material world.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It's not so much a physical place as a state of mind.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: See Thesaurus:substantial

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Of matter and nature.

In accordance with the laws of nature; now specifically, pertaining to physics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The substance has a number of interesting physical properties.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Of matter and nature.

Denoting a map showing natural features of the landscape (compare political).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Of the human body.

Having to do with the body as opposed to the mind; corporeal, bodily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Insults can hurt a lot more than physical injuries.
  • Are you feeling any physical effects?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adj

Meaning 8

Of the human body.

Sexual, carnal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • to get physical

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adj

Meaning 9

Of the human body.

Involving bodily force or contact; vigorous, aggressive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • This team plays a very physical game, so watch out.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adj

Meaning 10

Of a piece of media, existing as a tangible object instead of being digital.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • There is just something so amazing about reading a physical book as compared to an e-book.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A physical examination.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

Examples

  • How long has it been since your last physical?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A physical manifestation of psychic origin, as through ectoplasmic solidification.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: parapsychology, pseudoscience

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective

Meaning 13

involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • physical exercise
  • physical suffering
  • was sloppy about everything but her physical appearance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: mental

14

adjective

Meaning 14

relating to the sciences dealing with matter and energy; especially physics

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • physical sciences
  • physical laws

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

having substance or material existence; perceptible to the senses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a physical manifestation
  • surrounded by tangible objects

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

concerned with material things

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • physical properties
  • the physical characteristics of the earth
  • the physical size of a computer

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

adjective satellite

Meaning 17

impelled by physical force especially against resistance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • forcible entry
  • a real cop would get physical
  • strong-arm tactics

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: forcible, strong-arm

Antonyms: none provided

18

adjective satellite

Meaning 18

characterized by energetic bodily activity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a very physical dance performance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

adjective satellite

Meaning 19

according with material things or natural laws (other than those peculiar to living matter)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a reflex response to physical stimuli

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

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”).

Across languages

Translations

194 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مَادِّيّ (māddiyy) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Arabic: مَلْمُوس (malmūs) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Arabic: مَحْسُوس (maḥsūs) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Armenian: նյութական (nyutʻakan) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Armenian: ֆիզիկական (fizikakan) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Bulgarian: материа́лен (materiálen) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Catalan: físic — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Chinese Mandarin: 物理的 (wùlǐ de) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Dutch: fysisch — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Dutch: fysische — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Esperanto: fizika — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Estonian: füüsiline — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Estonian: looduslik — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Finnish: fyysinen — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • French: physique — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Galician: físico — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Georgian: ფიზიკური (piziḳuri) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Georgian: სხეულებრივი (sxeulebrivi) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Georgian: მატერიალური (maṭerialuri) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • German: physisch — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • German: materiell — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • German: stofflich — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Greek: φυσικός (fysikós) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Hebrew: ממשי — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Hebrew: פיזי — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Hungarian: fizikai — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Indonesian: fisik — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Interlingua: physic — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Irish: ábhartha — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Italian: fisico — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Japanese: 物理的な (butsuritekina) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Kazakh: физикалық (fizikalyq) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Korean: 물리적(物理的)인 (mullijeog-in) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Latvian: fizisks — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Latvian: fizikāls — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Māori: whaikiko — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Māori: ōkiko — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Marathi: भौतिक (bhautik) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Norwegian: fysisk — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Occitan: fisic — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Old English: līchamlīċ — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Polish: fizyczny — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Portuguese: físico — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Romanian: fizic — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Romanian: fizică — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Romanian: material — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Russian: физи́ческий (fizíčeskij) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Russian: материа́льный (materiálʹnyj) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Spanish: físico — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Swedish: fysisk — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Telugu: భౌతికము (bhautikamu) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Turkish: fiziksel — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Turkish: fiziki — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Ukrainian: фізи́чний (fizýčnyj) — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Walloon: fizike — having to do with the material world; tangible
  • Arabic: فِيزِيَائِيّ (fīziyāʔiyy) — having to do with physics
  • Armenian: ֆիզիկական (fizikakan) — having to do with physics
  • Belarusian: фізі́чны (fizíčny) — having to do with physics
  • Belarusian: фізы́чны (fizýčny) — having to do with physics
  • Bulgarian: физи́чески (fizíčeski) — having to do with physics
  • Catalan: físic — having to do with physics
  • Chinese Mandarin: 物理的 (wùlǐ de) — having to do with physics
  • Czech: fyzikální — having to do with physics
  • Dutch: fysisch — having to do with physics
  • Dutch: fysische — having to do with physics
  • Estonian: füüsikaline — having to do with physics
  • Finnish: fysikaalinen — having to do with physics
  • French: physique — having to do with physics
  • Galician: físico — having to do with physics
  • Georgian: ფიზიკური (piziḳuri) — having to do with physics
  • German: physikalisch — having to do with physics
  • Greek: φυσικός (fysikós) — having to do with physics
  • Hebrew: פיזי — having to do with physics
  • Interlingua: physic — having to do with physics
  • Irish: fisiciúil — having to do with physics
  • Irish: fisiceach — having to do with physics
  • Japanese: 物理的 (butsuriteki) — having to do with physics
  • Kazakh: физикалық (fizikalyq) — having to do with physics
  • Korean: 물리적(物理的)인 (mullijeog-in) — having to do with physics
  • Latvian: fizikāls — having to do with physics
  • Macedonian: физички (fizički) — having to do with physics
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fysikalsk — having to do with physics
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: fysikalsk — having to do with physics
  • Persian: فیزیکی (fiziki) — having to do with physics
  • Polish: fizyczny — having to do with physics
  • Portuguese: físico — having to do with physics
  • Romanian: fizic — having to do with physics
  • Russian: физи́ческий (fizíčeskij) — having to do with physics
  • Serbo-Croatian: фѝзичкӣ — having to do with physics
  • Serbo-Croatian: fìzičkī — having to do with physics
  • Slovak: fyzický — having to do with physics
  • Slovene: fizičen — having to do with physics
  • Spanish: físico — having to do with physics
  • Swedish: fysikalisk — having to do with physics
  • Tajik: физикӣ (fiziki) — having to do with physics
  • Turkish: fiziksel — having to do with physics
  • Turkish: fiziki — having to do with physics
  • Ukrainian: фізи́чний (fizýčnyj) — having to do with physics
  • Walloon: fizike — having to do with physics
  • Welsh: ffisegol — having to do with physics
  • Arabic: بَدَنِيّ (badaniyy) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Arabic: جِسْمِيّ (jismiyy) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Armenian: մարմնական (marmnakan) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Armenian: ֆիզիկական (fizikakan) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Belarusian: цяле́сны (cjaljésny) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Bulgarian: теле́сен (telésen) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Catalan: físic — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Chinese Mandarin: 身體的 /身体的 (shēntǐ de) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Czech: tělesný — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Danish: fysisk — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Dutch: lichamelijk — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Dutch: fysiek — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Esperanto: korpa — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Estonian: füüsiline — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Estonian: kehaline — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Finnish: ruumiillinen — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Finnish: fyysinen — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • French: physiologique — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • French: physique — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Galician: físico — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Georgian: სხეულებრივი (sxeulebrivi) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Georgian: ფიზიკური (piziḳuri) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • German: körperlich — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • German: physisch — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Greek: σωματικός (somatikós) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Hebrew: גופני — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Hebrew: פיזי — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Hindi: शारीरिक (śārīrik) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Indonesian: jasmaniah — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Indonesian: badaniah — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Indonesian: fisik — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Indonesian: fisis — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Interlingua: physic — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Irish: corpartha — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Japanese: 肉体の (nikutai no) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Korean: 신체(身體)의 (sinche-ui) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Korean: 육체(肉體)의 (yukche-ui) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Latvian: fizisks — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Marathi: शारीरिक (śārīrik) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Norwegian: fysisk — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Occitan: fisic — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Old English: līchamlīċ — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Polish: fizyczny — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Polish: cielesny — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Portuguese: físico — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Romanian: corporal — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Romanian: fizic — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Romanian: fiziologic — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Romanian: fiziologică — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Russian: теле́сный (telésnyj) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Russian: физи́ческий (fizíčeskij) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Slovak: telesný — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Spanish: físico — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Swedish: fysisk — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Telugu: శారీరకము (śārīrakamu) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Ukrainian: фізи́чний (fizýčnyj) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Ukrainian: тіле́сний (tilésnyj) — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Walloon: fizike — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Welsh: cnawdol — having to do with the body; corporeal
  • Armenian: ֆիզիկական (fizikakan) — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Catalan: físic — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Chinese Mandarin: 筋力的 (jīnlì de) — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Dutch: ruw — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Dutch: ruwe — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Estonian: füüsiline — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Finnish: fyysinen — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Finnish: voima- — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Galician: físico — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • German: kraftvoll — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • German: körperbetont — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Greek: σωματικός (somatikós) — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Interlingua: physic — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Latvian: fizisks — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Norwegian: fysisk — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Old English: līchamlīċ — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Portuguese: físico — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Portuguese: braçal — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Romanian: fizic — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Russian: физи́ческий (fizíčeskij) — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Swedish: fysisk — involving bodily force; vigorous
  • Bulgarian: медицински преглед (medicinski pregled) — physical examination
  • Dutch: lichamelijk onderzoek — physical examination
  • Dutch: medisch onderzoek — physical examination
  • Finnish: kuntotarkastus — physical examination
  • French: visite médicale — physical examination
  • French: check-up — physical examination
  • Galician: exame físico — physical examination
  • Greek: σωματική εξέταση (somatikí exétasi) — physical examination
  • Interlingua: examination physic — physical examination
  • Korean: 건강검진 (geon'ganggeomjin) — physical examination
  • Portuguese: revisão — physical examination
  • Russian: медосмо́тр (medosmótr) — physical examination
  • Russian: медици́нский осмо́тр (medicínskij osmótr) — physical examination
  • Spanish: revisación — physical examination
Real reading context

physical in complete knowledge articles