physics English · revision 5563

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation, calque|attested=1589|origins=grc φύσις}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfɪz.ɪks/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the plural of [[physic]] in its old sense “natural science”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) translating [[la|physica|t=natural science]], a neuter plural,^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[grc|τὰ φυσικά|tr=tà phusiká|t=the natural things]], the title of Aristotle's treatises on nature,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[m|grc|φυσικός|tr=phusikós|t=of nature]], from [[m|grc|φύσις|tr=phúsis|t=nature]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) See [[-ics]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Natural science in general, especially the Aristotelian system: 1589 in the OED and Barnhart, the 1580s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) NODE and the SOED date it to the late 15th century.^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Before modern science, physics was the science of natural bodies and included all natural science.^(Etymonline) The present restricted sense, the science of the properties of matter and energy, is from 1715.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) In the 17th century it was also rarely used for medicine.^(OED 1989) ''Physicist'' is from 1840, in William Whewell's Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1589 – natural science.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1626 – medicine (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1715 – the science of matter and energy.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1840 – ''physicist''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[science]] of [[matter]] and [[energy]] and how they act on each other, including mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity and magnetism.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The physical properties or processes of something: ''the physics of flight''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[metaphysics]]

+ * [[pataphysics]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[physical]]

+ * [[physicist]]

+ * [[physic]]

+ * [[physician]]

+ * [[physique]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}