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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All You Need is Love: Amor and Phil
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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.
A legal organisation representing her has sent a pre-action letter to ITV, claiming the broadcaster "subjected Nadia to direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and harassment because of her protected philosophical beliefs".
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
That “way,” Skidelsky tells us, was heavily influenced by some distinct philosophical commitments that shaped Keynes’s understanding of what economics should be about.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Koch believes researchers may need to reconsider philosophical ideas such as idealism and panpsychism while continuing to apply modern scientific methods.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026
This term has also revealed the profound philosophical mismatch between the court and the public.
From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2026
Like all matters philosophical, it is subject to debate.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
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.
