philosophical
Americanadjective
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of or relating to philosophy.
philosophical studies.
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versed in or occupied with philosophy.
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proper to or befitting a philosopher.
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rationally or sensibly calm, patient, or composed.
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Rare. of or relating to natural philosophy or physical science.
adjective
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of or relating to philosophy or philosophers
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reasonable, wise, or learned
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calm and stoical, esp in the face of difficulties or disappointments
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(formerly) of or relating to science or natural philosophy
Other Word Forms
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philosophicalnessnoun
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antiphilosophicadjective
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antiphilosophicaladjective
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nonphilosophicadjective
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nonphilosophicaladjective
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pseudophilosophicaladjective
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quasi-philosophicaladjective
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semiphilosophicadjective
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semiphilosophicaladjective
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unphilosophicadjective
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unphilosophicaladjective
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antiphilosophicallyadverb
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nonphilosophicallyadverb
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philosophicallyadverb
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quasi-philosophicallyadverb
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semiphilosophicallyadverb
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unphilosophicallyadverb
Etymology
Origin of philosophical
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “learned; pertaining to alchemy,” from Latin philosophic(us) (from Greek philosophikós; see philosopher, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
To be philosophical is to stay detached and thoughtful in the face of a setback, or to approach a tough situation in a level-headed way. When his girlfriend left him, Bernard was philosophical: "If she loves me, she'll return." In ancient Greece, philosophy literally meant a love of knowledge and wisdom. In modern times, the field of philosophy is more specifically the study of how we think through problems. Great philosophers have all sorts of theories about how and why we think and act the way we do, but the word philosophical often just means that you choose to be more thoughtful and look at the 'big picture' when dealing with challenges.
Vocabulary lists containing philosophical
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Lightning Thief
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But a pro-human worldview—the philosophical grounding to aim those opportunities at the moral end of human flourishing—won’t emerge spontaneously.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
"That 'quantum weirdness' is no longer just a philosophical puzzle," said Scully.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
Lam finds the philosophical underpinning of Project Spire troubling.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
Hand in hand with the talks came Conlon’s writing, in which, as in his talks, he goes inside the work in part to find philosophical and psychological meaning but mainly to share his love.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
“See, sir, that ain’t your normal type of blot. It’s some kind of novel, philosophical blot.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
