physical
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to the body.
physical exercise.
-
of or relating to that which is material.
the physical universe; the physical sciences.
-
noting or pertaining to the properties of matter and energy other than those peculiar to living matter.
-
pertaining to the physical sciences, especially physics.
-
carnal; sexual.
a physical attraction.
-
tending to touch, hug, pat, etc.; physically demonstrative.
a physical person.
-
requiring, characterized by, or liking rough physical contact or strenuous physical activity.
Football is a physical sport.
noun
-
physicals
plural
adjective
-
of or relating to the body, as distinguished from the mind or spirit
-
of, relating to, or resembling material things or nature
the physical universe
-
involving or requiring bodily contact
rugby is a physical sport
-
of or concerned with matter and energy
-
of or relating to physics
-
perceptible to the senses; apparent
a physical manifestation
noun
Synonym Usage
Physical, bodily, corporeal, corporal agree in pertaining to the body. Physical indicates connected with, pertaining to, the animal or human body as a material organism: physical strength, exercise. Bodily means belonging to, concerned with, the human body as distinct from the mind or spirit: bodily pain or suffering. Corporeal, a more poetic and philosophical word than bodily, refers especially to the mortal substance of which the human body is composed as opposed to spirit: this corporeal habitation. Corporal is now usually reserved for reference to whippings and other punishments inflicted on the human body.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
antiphysicalnessnoun
-
physicalnessnoun
-
antiphysicaladjective
-
nonphysicaladjective
-
quasi-physicaladjective
-
transphysicaladjective
-
unphysicaladjective
-
antiphysicallyadverb
-
nonphysicallyadverb
-
physicallyadverb
-
quasi-physicallyadverb
-
transphysicallyadverb
-
unphysicallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of physical
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin physicālis “concerning medicine.” See physic, -al 1
Explanation
When something is physical it's really there. You can see it, touch it, taste it, hear it, or smell it. The physical world is all of the stuff around you. When your doctor performs a physical, he or she is checking out your physical self. They're probably going to take your temperature, draw blood and listen to your heart and lungs. You may be asked a mental health question or two, but they're not going to ask you how you feel about God or what the meaning of life is. In physical education, you do physical activity. You move your body to make it healthier.
Vocabulary lists containing physical
Introduction to Informational Text
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Word Generation Weekly - Series 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Glencoe Accounting: Real-World Applications & Connections," Vocabulary from Chapter 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Silent performance can be an actor’s dream and a real challenge, since it relies on physical performances and visual execution to communicate with the audience.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
People, objects, and ideas passed through the community, and those interactions left physical traces that archaeologists can still identify centuries later.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
The Italian boasts an impressive physical base that allows him to carry the ball with power.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
"By freezing the liquid core, we have created an entirely new physical platform that provides extreme nonlinearities while being easy to handle," says Stiller.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
That mood was as physical as it was emotional.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
This cost covers routine primary care visits, from annual physicals to chronic disease management.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2026
Prior physicals have included more details of the president’s skin conditions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
The White House typically releases physician-written memos summarizing presidential physicals, translating full medical records into condensed clinical findings for public release.
From Salon ● May 31, 2026
The White House normally releases a summary of presidential physicals within hours or days, but the extent of the detail it gives is entirely at its own discretion.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
We both pass our physicals later that afternoon, but we don’t talk about basketball.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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.
