metaphysical

American  

[met-uh-fiz-i-kuhl] / ˌmɛt əˈfɪz ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics.

2. Philosophy.

   1. concerned with abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth.

   2. concerned with first principles and ultimate grounds, as being, time, or substance.

3. highly abstract, subtle, or abstruse.

4. designating or pertaining to the poetry of an early group of 17th-century English poets, notably John Donne, whose characteristic style is highly intellectual and philosophical and features intensive use of ingenious conceits and turns of wit.

5. Archaic. imaginary or fanciful.

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metaphysical ¹ British  

/ ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl /

adjective

1. relating to or concerned with metaphysics

2. (of a statement or theory) having the form of an empirical hypothesis, but in fact immune from empirical testing and therefore (in the view of the logical positivists) literally meaningless

3. (popularly) abstract, abstruse, or unduly theoretical

4. incorporeal; supernatural

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Metaphysical ² British  

/ ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl /

adjective

1. denoting or relating to certain 17th-century poets who combined intense feeling with ingenious thought and often used elaborate imagery and conceits. Notable among them were Donne, Herbert, and Marvell

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noun

1. a poet of this group

Other Word Forms

• antimetaphysical adjective
• antimetaphysically adverb
• hypermetaphysical adjective
• metaphysically adverb
• nonmetaphysical adjective
• nonmetaphysically adverb
• quasi-metaphysical adjective
• quasi-metaphysically adverb
• unmetaphysical adjective
• unmetaphysically adverb

Etymology

Origin of metaphysical

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English metaphisicalle, from Medieval Latin metaphysicālis; equivalent to metaphysic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Once home to the Liberate Emporium, a metaphysical supply store, this building was already a hub of spiritual activity when Wendy L’Belle-Tividad took it over 10 months ago.

From Los Angeles Times

The pair behind ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain’ discuss how they combined real-life inspiration and metaphysical subject matter in their ‘phantasmagoric’ new film.

From Los Angeles Times

Old Testament passages speak of the afterlife as a place in which movement in metaphysical position is possible.

From The Wall Street Journal

“There’s some strange magnetic force that’s in us — you can talk about God or whatever you want to call it — but I think it’s a metaphysical process that’s in us.”

From Los Angeles Times

Wellness has become the new luxury, but with a metaphysical twist.

From Barron's

Related Words

• abstract
• abstruse
• esoteric
• mystical
• philosophical
• spiritual
• supernatural
• theoretical