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philosophical

or phil·o·soph·ic

[fil-uh-sof-i-kuh l or fil-uh-sof-ik]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to philosophy: philosophical studies.
  2. versed in or occupied with philosophy.
  3. proper to or befitting a philosopher.
  4. rationally or sensibly calm, patient, or composed.
  5. Rare. of or relating to natural philosophy or physical science.
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Origin of philosophical

1350–1400; Middle English: learned, pertaining to alchemy < Latin philosophic(us) (< Greek philosophikós; see philosopher, -ic) + -al1
Related formsphil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverbphil·o·soph·i·cal·ness, nounan·ti·phil·o·soph·ic, adjectivean·ti·phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectivean·ti·phil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·phil·o·soph·ic, adjectivenon·phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectivenon·phil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverbpseu·do·phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-phil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·phil·o·soph·ic, adjectivesem·i·phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectivesem·i·phil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverbun·phil·o·soph·ic, adjectiveun·phil·o·soph·i·cal, adjectiveun·phil·o·soph·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

educatedscientificstudiedscholarlyaccomplishedwell-educatedgentleforgivingtolerantcalmquietlevelheadedsensiblewisenormalimpartialluciddeliberatelogicaljudicious

Examples from the Web for philosophic

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Yet, his avocations were not so vain as our philosophic moralizing.

    Old News

    Nathaniel Hawthorne

  • The Major looked at her with his air of philosophic surprise.

    Roden's Corner

    Henry Seton Merriman

  • He achieved a staidness, and calmness, and philosophic tolerance.

    White Fang

    Jack London

  • The intruder accepted the situation with the most philosophic calm.

    The Avenger

    E. Phillips Oppenheim

  • The young Comte, now twenty, was enchanted by the philosophic veteran.

British Dictionary definitions for philosophic

philosophical

philosophic

adjective
  1. of or relating to philosophy or philosophers
  2. reasonable, wise, or learned
  3. calm and stoical, esp in the face of difficulties or disappointments
  4. (formerly) of or relating to science or natural philosophy
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Derived Formsphilosophically, adverbphilosophicalness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for philosophic

adj.

late 15c., from Middle French philosophique and directly from Late Latin philosophicus, from Greek philosophikos, from philosophia "philosophy" (see philosophy).

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philosophical

adj.

late 14c.; see philosophy + -ical. Related: Philosophically.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper