physic
phys·ic
physic · physics
A medicine or drug, especially a cathartic or purgativeA medicine or drug, especially a cathartic or purgative.
/ˈfɪz.ɪk/
» Temperance is the best physic.
Meaning
4 senses(archaic, countable)A medicine or drug, especially a cathartic or purgative.
(archaic, uncountable)The art or profession of healing disease; medicine.
(archaic, uncountable)Natural philosophy; physics.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)A physician.
More definitions
- a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels
Examples
1 sentencesTemperance is the best physic.
Origin
From Middle English fysike (noun) and phisiken, fisike (verb; from the noun), from Old FreFrom 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 (phŭsĭkós, “natural; physical”), see above.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: physicsSynonyms
3 synonymsWord family
11 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable