English edit

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɪzɪk/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪzɪk

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle English phisik, from Latin physicus, from Ancient Greek φῠσῐκός (phusikós, natural; physical), from φύσις (phúsis, origin, birth; nature, quality; form, shape; type, kind), from φῠ́ω (phúō, grow), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (to appear, become, rise up).

Adjective edit

physic (comparative more physic, superlative most physic)

  1. Relating to or concerning existent materials; physical.

Etymology 2 edit

From Middle English fysike (noun) and phisiken, fisike (verb; from the noun), from Old French fisike (natural science, art of healing), from Latin physica (study of nature), from Ancient Greek φυσική (phusikḗ), feminine singular of φῠσῐκός (phusikós, natural; physical), see above.

Noun edit

physic (countable and uncountable, plural physics)

  1. (archaic, countable) A medicine or drug, especially a cathartic or purgative.
  2. (archaic, uncountable) The art or profession of healing disease; medicine.
    • 1743, Stephen Hales, A Description of Ventilators, page xiii:
      ...and thus draw out all the unwholesome Air and Stench, which does more harm than any Physick can repair.
  3. (archaic, uncountable) Natural philosophy; physics.
    • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Gives Some Account of Himself and Family, His First Inducements to Travel. []”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. [] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: [] Benj[amin] Motte, [], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 2:
      When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my Father; where, by the Aſſiſtance of him and my Uncle John, and ſome other Relations, I got forty Pounds, and a Promiſe of thirty Pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I ſtudied Phyſick two years and ſeven months, knowing it would be uſeful in long Voyages.
  4. (obsolete) A physician.
Derived terms edit

Verb edit

physic (third-person singular simple present physics, present participle physicking, simple past and past participle physicked)

  1. (transitive) To cure or heal.
    • 1637, Tho[mas] Heywood, “Ivpiter and Io”, in Pleasant Dialogues and Dramma’s, Selected out of Lucian, Erasmus, Textor, Ovid, &c. [], London: [] R. O[ulton] for R. H[earne], and are to be sold by Thomas Slater [], →OCLC, page 170:
      Wouldſt thou not haue ſome Bulchin from the herd / To phyſicke thee of this venereall itch?
  2. (transitive) To administer medicine to, especially a purgative.
    • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], lines 73-74:
      I will physic your rankness []
    • 1987, Stephen King, The Tommyknockers:
      When she had been a little girl - a very little girl - her mother had once cried at Anne in utter exasperation, "You're so contrary cheese'd physic ya!"

Anagrams edit