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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antiphilosophicadjective
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antiphilosophicaladjective
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antiphilosophicallyadverb
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nonphilosophicadjective
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nonphilosophicaladjective
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nonphilosophicallyadverb
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philosophicallyadverb
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philosophicalnessnoun
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pseudophilosophicaladjective
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quasi-philosophicaladjective
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quasi-philosophicallyadverb
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semiphilosophicadjective
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semiphilosophicaladjective
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semiphilosophicallyadverb
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unphilosophicadjective
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unphilosophicaladjective
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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.
Anthropic has leaned in to philosophical questions such as whether AI models experience consciousness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
It’s a complicated philosophical character, but he looks cooler than all the other characters.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
On a philosophical level, this has changed what it means to be an F1 driver - and not in a way anyone who understands the sport thinks is positive.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Today, entanglement is more than a philosophical puzzle.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
One can be, indeed one must strive to become, tough and philosophical concerning destruction and death, for this is what most of mankind has been best at since we have heard of man.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
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.
