physic

[ fiz-ik ]

/ ˈfɪz ɪk /

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See synonyms for: physic / physics on Thesaurus.com

noun

a medicine that purges; cathartic; laxative.

any medicine; a drug or medicament.

Archaic. the medical art or profession.

Obsolete. natural science.

verb (used with object), phys·icked, phys·ick·ing.

to treat with or act upon as a physic or medicine.

to work upon as a medicine does; relieve or cure.

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Origin of physic

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English fisyk(e), phisik(e) (<Old French fisique) <Latin physica natural science (Medieval Latin: medical science) <Greek physikḗ science of nature, noun use of feminine adj.: pertaining to nature (akin to phŷlon tribe, phylon); (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH physic

physic , physique

Words nearby physic

phys. geog., physi-, physiatrics, physiatrist, physiatry, physic, physical, physical allergy, physical anthropology, physical capital, physical change

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use physic in a sentence

Between our official classes, we members of Gerace’s tiny physics guild taught ourselves relativity, quantum mechanics, and other mysteries and beauties of modern physics, under the master’s guidance.
Five Scientists on the Heroes Who Changed Their Lives - Issue 93: Forerunners|Alan Lightman, Hope Jahren, Robert Sapolsky,|December 2, 2020|Nautilus
The natural processes on Earth and in the universe have produced only a small sample of the full menu of molecules and forms of matter, and consequently of the corresponding laws of physics they will have to obey.
Contemplating the End of Physics|Robbert Dijkgraaf|November 24, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Unfortunately, the laws of physics seemed to suggest otherwise.
When Einstein Tilted at Windmills - Issue 93: Forerunners|Amanda Gefter|November 18, 2020|Nautilus
The phenomena of physics are always expressed in terms of how one set of measurable numbers behaves when other sets of measurable numbers are held fixed or varied.
Why Physics Can’t Tell Us What Life Is - Issue 92: Frontiers|Jeremy England|October 21, 2020|Nautilus

There’s a multitude of complex physics involved, and who knows how true-to-science the scene is, but getting the details right to successfully grab something in space certainly isn’t easy.
NASA’s About to Try Grabbing a Chunk of Asteroid to Bring to Earth—and You Can Watch|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|October 16, 2020|Singularity Hub
Sir Robert Peel congratulated the house upon the noble lord's aversion to Mr. Wakley's physic.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
Either by physic forward or by clyster backward or both ways to get an easy and plentiful going to stool and breaking of wind.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
So home to supper and to bed, being troubled to find myself so bound as I am, notwithstanding all the physic that I take.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
The cow should be bled, and take a large dose of physic; then wash the udder as in caked bag.
Domestic Animals|Richard L. Allen
Scott had some knowledge of surgery and physic; so had Will Hodges, who had at one time been a schoolmaster.
Witch, Warlock, and Magician|William Henry Davenport Adams

British Dictionary definitions for physic

physic

/ (ˈfɪzɪk) /

noun

rare a medicine or drug, esp a cathartic or purge

archaic the art or skill of healing

an archaic term for physics (def. 1)

verb -ics, -icking or -icked

(tr) archaic to treat (a patient) with medicine

Derived forms of physic

physicky, adjective

Word Origin for physic

C13: from Old French fisique, via Latin, from Greek phusikē, from phusis nature

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

Medical definitions for physic

physic

[ fĭz′ĭk ]

A medicine or drug, especially a cathartic.

physic

Origin of physic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH physic

Words nearby physic

Words related to physic

How to use physic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for physic

Derived forms of physic

Word Origin for physic

Medical definitions for physic