Showing results for "physics"

• present tense form of physic (3rd person singular).
• plural of physic.

physics

American  

[fiz-iks] / ˈfɪz ɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

physics plural

1. the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force.

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physics British  

/ ˈfɪzɪks /

noun

1. the branch of science concerned with the properties of matter and energy and the relationships between them. It is based on mathematics and traditionally includes mechanics, optics, electricity and magnetism, acoustics, and heat. Modern physics, based on quantum theory, includes atomic, nuclear, particle, and solid-state studies. It can also embrace applied fields such as geophysics and meteorology

2. physical properties of behaviour

   the physics of the electron

3. archaic natural science or natural philosophy

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physics Scientific  

/ fĭz′ĭks /

1. The scientific study of matter, energy, space, and time, and of the relations between them.

2. The behavior of a given physical system, especially as understood by a physical theory.

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physics Cultural  

1. The scientific study of matter and motion. (See mechanics, optics, quantum mechanics, relativity, and thermodynamics.)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• physics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of physics

First recorded in 1580–90; see origin at physic, -ics

Compare meaning

How does physics compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• physical science vs. physics

Explanation

Physics is a kind of science, specifically the science of matter and energy and how they interact. Physics is the study of physical matter, energy, and how they work together. Kinetic energy and potential energy are part of physics. Although it may sound really advanced — and it is — physics is involved in everything we do. Champion pool players have a good understanding of how physics influences the movement of the balls. People who design roller coasters better know their physics. And if you've ever rigged up a pulley or a lever, then you've done basic physics.

Example Sentences

The curriculum combined fire hose blasts of information about rod physics and trout-stream entomology with hands-on instruction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026

"Unlike phenomena we observe around us, at the microscopic level most fundamental laws of physics see forward and backward movement in time as physically possible," said Los Alamos National Laboratory physicist Luis Pedro García-Pintos.

From Science Daily • Jul. 3, 2026

ByteDance introduced timeline-based prompting so filmmakers can actually pick specific moments and tweak them, and improved the understanding of camera direction, physics, lighting and fluidity of action.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026

Liberal Democrat Morgan has also met with world-leading physicist Prof Brian Cox, who warned that the cuts could be as high £162m, roughly 30% of particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics research.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

He’s entranced by physics and mathematics, by surgery and medicine, by philosophy and engineering.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• biology