Etymology dictionary
Phoebus — physiognomy (n.)
Phoebus
epithet of Apollo as sun-god, late 14c., phebus, febus, from Latin Phoebus, from Greek Phoibos, literally "bright, shining, radiant," a word of unknown origin. Related: Phoeban, Phoebean.
Phoenician (n.)
late 14c., phenicienes (plural), "native or inhabitant of the ancient country of Phoenicia" on the coast of Syria, from Old French phenicien or formed from Latin Phoenice, Phoenices, on the model of Persian, etc. The Latin word is from Greek Phoinike "Phoenicia" (including its colony Carthage), which is perhaps of Pre-Greek origin [Beekes].
Compare phoenix, which seems to be unrelated. Greek phoinix also meant "(the color) purple," perhaps "the Phoenician color," because the Greeks obtained purple dyes from the Phoenicians, but scholars disagree about this (Greek also had phoinos "red, blood red," which is of uncertain etymology). Greek phoinix was also "palm-tree," especially "the date," fruit and tree, probably literally "the Phoenician (tree)," because the palm originated in the East and the Greeks traded with the Phoenicians for dates. It also was the name of a stringed instrument, probably also a reference to a Phoenician origin.
In reference to the Semitic language spoken by the people, from 1836; as an adjective, from c. 1600.
phoenix (n.)
mythical bird of great beauty worshiped in Egypt, Old English and Old French fenix, from Medieval Latin phenix, from Latin phoenix, from Greek phoinix. The bird was the only one of its kind, and after living 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness, "built for itself a funeral pile of spices and aromatic gums, lighted the pile with the fanning of its wings, and was burned upon it, but from its ashes revived in the freshness of youth" [Century Dictionary].
Compare Phoenician, which seems to be unrelated. Forms in ph- begin to appear in English late 15c. and the spelling was assimilated to Greek in 16c. (see ph). Figurative sense of "that which rises from the ashes of what was destroyed" is attested from 1590s.
The constellation was one of the 11 added to Ptolemy's list in the 1610s by Flemish cartographer Petrus Plancius (1552-1622) after Europeans began to explore the Southern Hemisphere. The city in Arizona, U.S., was so called because it was founded in 1867 on the site of an ancient Native American settlement.
phone (n.1)
by 1878 [Des Moines Register, May 16], colloquial shortening of telephone (n.), "generally applied to the receiver, but sometimes to the whole apparatus" [Century Dictionary, 1895]. Phone book "publication listing telephone numbers and their associated names" is by 1920; phone booth "small enclosure or stall provided with a public pay-telephone" is by 1906; phone bill "statement of charges for telephone service" is by 1901; phone number (short for telephone number) is by 1906.
phone (v.)
"to call on the telephone," 1884, colloquial, from phone (n.). Related: Phoned; phoning.
-phone
word-forming element meaning "voice, sound," also "speaker of," from Greek phōnē "voice, sound" of a human or animal, also "tone, voice, pronunciation, speech," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, say, tell" (source also of Latin for, fari "to speak," fama "talk, report").
phone (n.2)
"elementary sound of a spoken language, one of the primary elements of utterance," 1866, from Greek phōnē "sound, voice" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say").
phoneme (n.)
"distinctive sound or group of sounds," 1889, from French phonème, from Greek phōnēma "a sound made, voice," from phōnein "to sound or speak," from phōnē "sound, voice" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say"). Related: Phonematic.
phonemic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to phonemes or phonemic theory," 1933, from phoneme + -ic. Related: Phonemics (1936); phonemically.
phonetics (n.)
"phonetic science, scientific study of speech," 1841, from phonetic; also see -ics.
phonetic (adj.)
1803, "representing vocal sounds," from Modern Latin phoneticus (Zoega, 1797), from Greek phōnētikos "vocal," from phōnētos "to be spoken, utterable," verbal adjective of phōnein "to speak clearly, utter," from phōnē "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (see fame (n.)). Meaning "relating or pertaining to the human voice as used in speech" is by 1861. Related: Phonetical.
phony (adj.)
also phoney, "not genuine," 1899, perhaps an alteration of fawney "gilt brass ring used by swindlers."
The noun meaning "phony person or thing" is attested from 1902.
phonics (n.)
1680s, "phonetics, the doctrine or science of sound," especially of the human voice, from Greek phōnē "sound, voice" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say") + -ics.
As the name of a method of teaching reading by associating letters or groups of letters with particular sounds in an alphabetic writing system, especially as correlations between sound and symbol, it is attested by 1901 and became prominent in that sense after 1950, though the systematic method itself dates from the 1830s.
phonic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to sound, acoustic," 1793, from Greek phōnē "sound, voice" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say") + -ic.
phono-
word-forming element meaning "sound, voice," from Greek phōno-, combining form of phōnē "voice, sound" of a human or animal, also "tone, voice, pronunciation, speech" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say").
phonogram (n.)
1845, "a written symbol or graphic character representing the sound of the human voice," from phono- "sound, voice" + -gram "a writing, recording." From 1879 as "a sound recording produced by a phonograph." Related: Phonogramic.
phonographic (adj.)
1840, "pertaining to or used in the writing or representation of sound," originally in reference to shorthand; see phono- + graphic. Modern sense of "of or pertaining to a phonograph, produced by means of a phonograph" is from 1878.
phonograph (n.)
1835, "character representing a sound, a character used in phonography," from phono- "sound" + -graph in the sense of "something written." This older sense was rare and is obsolete.
The meaning "an instrument that produces sounds from recordings" (talking phonograph, invented by Thomas A. Edison) is attested from 1877, with -graph more in the sense of "instrument for recording." "In Britain the word is retained only for early cylinder machines, but in N. Amer. it has become synonymous with record player, record deck, etc., corresponding to British gramophone" [OED].
The recording made from it at first was called a phonogram (1879). An earlier instrument for registering the vibrations of a sounding body was the phonautograph (1859, from French phonautographe, 1855).
phonography (n.)
1701, "the science of sound-signs, representation of vocal sounds," from phono- "sound, voice" + -graphy "writing, recording." From 1840 as "representation of words as they are pronounced," specifically in reference to Pitman's system of shorthand by phonetic writing. By 1861 as "the automatic recording of sounds" by a phonautograph, later "recording or reproduction of sounds by a phonograph" (1880s).
phonolite (n.)
a kind of volcanic rock that rings when struck, 1818, literally "sounding stone," from phono- + -lite. Translating German Klingstein (compare French phonolithe, 1812).
phonological (adj.)
"of or pertaining to phonology," 1800, from phonology + -ical. Related: Phonologically.
phonology (n.)
"the science of the sounds uttered by the human voice or used in a particular language, phonetics; that part of grammar which treats of pronunciation; the system of sounds and of their combinations in a language," 1799, from phono- + -logy. Related: Phonologist; phonologic.
phonomania (n.)
"mania for murder or killing," 1842, from Greek phonē, phonos "slaughter, bloodshed, killing" + mania.
phonophobia (n.)
"intolerance or dread of loud sounds," 1877, from phono- "sound" + -phobia "fear."
phooey
expression of contempt, 1921 (in a newspaper cartoon), from Yiddish, from German pfui (attested in English from 1866); popularized by Walter Winchell. Phoo "vocalic gesture expressing contemptuous rejection" is recorded from 1640s. And compare go phut "come to nothing, come to a sudden end" (1906).
phoresy (n.)
"association between organisms in which one is carried on the body of another but is not a parasite," 1914, from French phorésie (1896), from Greek phorēsis "being carried," from pherein "to carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children."
phoresis (n.)
"the movement of small particles by some agency," 1897, from Greek phorēsis "a being carried," from pherein "to carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry").
phosphate (n.)
a salt of phosphoric acid, 1795, from French phosphate (1787), from phosphore (see phosphorus) + -ate (3). Related: Phosphatic.
phosphene (n.)
"the luminous ring produced by pressing the eyeball with the finger, etc.," 1850, from French phosphène, irregularly formed from Greek phōs "light" + phainein "to show," both from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine." By 1831 as a name for a type of gas.
phosphorous (adj.)
1777, "phosphorescent," from phosphorus + -ous. The chemical sense of "pertaining to, obtained from, or containing phosphorus" (1794) is immediately from French phosphoreux.
Phosphor (n.)
"the morning star, Lucifer," 1630s, from Latin Phosphorus "the morning star," literally "light-bringing" (see phosphorus). Meaning "anything phosphorescent" is from 1705.
phosphoric (adj.)
"pertaining to, obtained from, or resembling phosphorus," 1770, from French phosphorique, from phosphore (see phosphorous). Related: Phosphorical (1753).
phosphorescence (n.)
"a property of certain bodies of becoming luminous without undergoing combustion," 1796, from French phosphorescence (1788) or from the English verb phosphoresce "emit luminosity without combustion" (1794; see phosphorous) + -ence.
phosphorescent (adj.)
shining with a faint light or luminosity like that of phosphorus, luminous without sensible heat," "1766, from Modern Latin phosphorus (see phosphorus) + -escent. Related: Phosphorescently.
phosphorus (n.)
1640s, "substance or organism that shines of itself," from Latin phosphorus "light-bringing," also "the morning star" (a sense attested in English from 1620), from Greek Phosphoros "morning star," literally "torchbearer," from phōs "light," contraction of phaos "light, daylight" (related to phainein "to show, to bring to light," from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine") + phoros "bearer," from pherein "to carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children").
As the name of a solid, non-metallic, combustible chemical element, it is recorded from 1680, originally one among several substances so called; the word used exclusively of the element from c. 1750. It was discovered in 1669 by Henning Brand, merchant and alchemist of Hamburg, who derived it from urine. Lavoisier demonstrated it was an element in 1777. According to Flood, "It is the first element whose discoverer is known."
photic (adj.)
1843, "pertaining to light;" 1899, "pertaining to the parts of the ocean penetrated by sunlight," from Greek phot-, combining form of phōs "light" (related to phainein "to show, to bring to light," from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine") + -ic. Photics "the science of light" is attested by 1858.
photo (n.)
1860, a colloquial shortening of photograph. The verb is by 1865, from the noun. Photo-finish, of a race that ends with two or more competitors crossing the finishing line at nearly the same time (so a photograph taken at the finish line at the moment of crossing is the only way to determine who won) is attested from 1936. Photo opportunity "arranged opportunity to take a photograph of a notable person or event" is from 1974, said to be a coinage of the Nixon Administration.
photo-
word-forming element meaning "light" or "photographic" or "photoelectric," from Greek photo-, combining form of phōs (genitive phōtos) "light" (from PIE root *bha- (1) "to shine").
photochemical (adj.)
1859, "of or pertaining to the chemical action of light," from photo- + chemical. Related: Photochemically.
photocopier (n.)
"device for making photocopies," 1934, agent noun from photocopy (v.).
photocopy (v.)
1924, "make a photographic reproduction," from photo- "photographic" + copy (v.). The usual modern meaning arose 1942 with the advent of xerography. The noun is recorded from 1934. Related: Photocopied; photocopying.
photo-electric (adj.)
1863, "acting by the combination of light and electricity;" by 1880 as "producing light by means of electricity," from photo- + electric.
photogenic (adj.)
1839, "produced or caused by light," from photo- "light" + -genic "produced by." Originally in photogenic drawing, the early term for "photography;" meaning "photographing well" is first attested 1928, from photo- as short for "photograph."
photograph (n.)
"a picture obtained by any process of photography," 1839, coined by English polymath and photography pioneer Sir John Herschel (son of the astronomer) from photo- "light" + -graph "something written."
It won out over other suggestions, such as photogene and heliograph. Photogram (1859), based on telegram, did not catch on. Neo-Anglo-Saxonists prefer sunprint; and sun-picture (1846) was an early Englishing of the word. The verb is first found (along with photography and photographic) in a paper Herschel read before the Royal Society on March 14, 1839. Related: Photographed; photographing.
photographer (n.)
"one who makes pictures by means of photography," 1843, agent noun from photograph (v.). Photographist also is attested from 1843.
photographic (adj.)
"of, pertaining to, using, or produced by photography," 1839, from photograph + -ic. Meaning "minutely accurate" is by 1864; photographic memory is from 1865. Related: Photographical; photographically.
photography (n.)
"the art of producing images by application of chemical changes produced by certain substances by the action of light or other radiant energy," 1839, from photo- + -graphy. See photograph.
photogravure (n.)
"process of engraving a metal by photography," 1869, from photo- + gravure "engraving," from French, from graver (see grave (v.)) + -ure (see -ure).
photoinduction (n.)
"action or process of induction by light," 1947, from photo- + induction. Related: Photoinductive; photoinduce.
photojournalism (n.)
"the use of photographs to tell stories in journalism," 1944, from photo- + journalism. Related: Photojournalist.
photometer (n.)
"instrument used to measure the intensity of light," 1778, from photo- "light" + -meter "device for measuring." Related: Photometric; photometry (1760).
photomontage (n.)
"use of photographs or photographic negatives to make art or illustration," 1931, from photo + montage.
photon (n.)
"unit of electromagnetic radiation," 1926, from photo- "light" + -on "unit." Related: Photonic.
photoperiodism (n.)
"stimulation or inhibition to breeding, etc., based on daily periods of light and darkness," 1920, from photoperiod "period of daily illumination which an organism receives" (1920, from photo- + period) + -ism.
photophobia (n.)
"intolerance or dread of light," 1799, from photo- "light" + -phobia. Related: Photophobic; photophobe.
photoshop (v.)
"to edit an image using a computer program," 1992, originally, and properly still, only in reference to Photoshop, a bitmap graphics editor trademarked and published by Adobe, released in 1990. Like Taser and Dumpster, it has a tendency to become generic, but if you use it that way in print their lawyers will still send you The Letter. Related: Photoshopped; photoshopping.
photosphere (n.)
1660s, "orb of light, envelop of light," from photo- "light" + sphere. Astronomical sense "luminous envelop around the sun (or another star)" is from 1848. Related: Photospheric.
photostat (n.)
1909, a type of copying machine (trademark Commercial Camera Company, Providence, R.I.) whose name became a generic noun and verb (1914) for "photocopy;" from photo- + -stat.
photosynthesize (v.)
"create by photosynthesis; carry out photosynthesis," 1910, from photosynthesis + -ize. Related: Photosynthesized; photosynthesizing.
photosynthesis (n.)
by 1895, loan-translation of German Photosynthese, from photo- "light" (see photo-) + synthese "synthesis" (see synthesis). Related: Photosynthetic. Another early word for it was photosyntax.
phototropism (n.)
"innate movement of a plant or other organism in response to the stimulation of light," 1899, based on German phototropie (1892); see photo- + tropism. Related: Phototropic.
photovoltaic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the generation of an electric current at the junction of two substances exposed to light," 1923, from photo- + voltaic. Related: Photovoltaics (see -ics).
phrasal (adj.)
"of, pertaining to, or consisting of a phrase; consisting of two or more words," 1860; see phrase (n.) + -al (1). Related: Phrasally.
phrase (n.)
1520s, "manner or style of expression," also "brief expression with some unity; two or more words expressing what is practically a single notion," from Late Latin phrasis "diction," from Greek phrasis "speech, way of speaking, enunciation, phraseology," from phrazein "to tell, declare, indicate, point out, show, inform," also passively (phrazomai), "indicate to oneself, think or muse upon, consider; think up, contrive; suppose, believe, imagine; perceive, observe."
The Greek verb is of uncertain origin; perhaps it is connected with phrenes "wits, senses, sanity," phrēn "the mind, the heart," literally "midriff, diaphragm" (see phreno-). The musical sense of "a short and somewhat independent passage from a piece" is from 1789. Phrase-book "collection of expressions peculiar to a language" is by 1590s.
phrase (v.)
"to put into a phrase, express by a particular phrase," 1560s; see phrase (n.). Related: Phrased; phrasing.
phrasing (n.)
"wording of a speech or passage," 1610s, verbal noun from phrase (v.).
phraseology (n.)
1550s, coined erroneously by German humanist Michael Neander in Greek as phraseologia (1550s), from Greek phrasis "way of speaking" (see phrase (n.)) + -logia (see -logy). The correct form would be *phrasiology. Originally "a phrase book, a collection of phrases or idioms," the meaning "way of arranging words, characteristic style of expression, form of words used in expressing some thought" is from 1660s. Related: Phraseological.
phreak (n.)
1972 (also as a verb), originally in phone phreak, one of a set of technically creative people who electronically hacked or defrauded telephone companies of the day.
The ph- in phone may have suggested the alteration, and this seems to be the original of the 1990s slang fad for substituting ph- for f- (as in phat).
phrenetic (adj.)
mid-16c., an early Modern English restored classical spelling of frenetic (late 14c.). A doublet of frantic.
phrenic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the diaphragm," 1704, from Modern Latin phrenicus, from Greek phrēn "the diaphragm, muscle which parts the heart and lungs from the digestive organs" (see phreno-).
phreno-
before vowels phren-, word-forming element meaning "mind," also, in medical use, "diaphragm, muscle which parts the abdomen from the thorax;" from Greek phrēn, phrenos "the mind, spirit," also "the midriff, diaphragm," also (in plural, phrenes) "the parts around the heart, the breast," and hence "wits, sense, sanity, mind" on the notion of the breast or heart as the seat of thoughts and passions.
The word is of uncertain origin; Watkins has it under a proposed PIE root *gwhren- "to think." Beekes finds the connection with phrassein "to fence or hedge in" "semantically attractive," but there are phonetic difficulties, and he finds "quite feasible" a relationship with phrazomai "to think, consider" (later phrazein; see phrase (n.)), itself an isolated word.
phrenology (n.)
"the theory that the mental powers of the individual consist of independent faculties, each of which has its seat in a different brain region, whose size is commensurate with the power of the faculty," 1815, literally "mental science," from phreno- "mind" (q.v.) + -logy "study of." Applied to the theory of mental faculties originated by Gall and Spurzheim that led to the 1840s mania for reading personality clues in the shape of a subject's skull and the "bumps" of the head. It was most popular from about 1810 to 1840. Related: Phrenological; phrenologist.
phrenzy (n.)
see frenzy.
Phrygian
late 15c., "native of Phrygia," region in ancient Asia Minor. As an adjective, "of, originating in, or relating to Phrygia," by 1570s. The Phrygian mode in ancient Greek music theory was held to be "of a warlike character." The Phrygian cap (1796) was the type adopted by freed slaves in Roman times, and thus it was subsequently identified as the cap of Liberty.
phthisis (n.)
"disease of the lungs characterized by progressive disintegration of pulmonary tissue" (usually synonymous with pulmonary tuberculosis, consumption), c. 1300, tisik, pthisic, tphisike, etc., from Late Latin phthisis "consumption," from Greek phthisis "wasting, consumption; perishing, decay; waxing," from phthiein "to decay, waste away," from PIE root *dhgwhei- "to perish, die away" (source also of Sanskrit ksitih "destruction," ksinati "perishes"). The restored classical spelling is from early 16c.
phthisic (adj.)
late 14c., tysyk "of or pertaining to a wasting disease, wasting the flesh," from Old French tisike, phtisique "consumptive" (11c.), from Latin phthisicus (Medieval Latin ptisicus, tisicus), from Greek phthisikos "consumptive," from phthisis "wasting, consumption" (see phthisis). It is attested earlier in English as a noun meaning "consumption, wasting disease of the lungs" (mid-14c.). Related: Phthisical.
phyco-
word-forming element in modern science meaning "seaweed, algae," from Latinized form of Greek phykos "seaweed, sea wrack," also "rouge, red make-up made from seaweed;" Beekes writes that it is a loan-word from Semitic and compares Hebrew pūk "eye-rouge." "The meaning 'make-up' is therefore primary for [phykos], too; hence 'seaweed'." Compare fucus, which is probably a Latin borrowing of the Greek word.
phycology (n.)
"study of seaweeds, the department of botany that treats of algae or seaweed," 1847, from phyco- + -logy. Related: Phycological; phycologist.
phylactery (n.)
late 14c., filaterie, philateria, "small leathern box or badge containing four Old Testament texts, worn by Jews on the arm or forehead as a reminder of the obligation to keep the Law," from Old French filatiere (12c.) and directly from Medieval Latin philaterium, from Late Latin phylacterium "reliquary," from Greek phylacterion "safeguard, amulet; a post for watchmen," noun use of neuter of adjective phylaktērios "serving as a protection," from phylaktēr "watcher, guard," from phylassein "to guard or ward off," from phylax (genitive phylakos) "guardian, watcher, protector," a word of unknown origin; Beekes writes that, based on the suffix -ax, "the word may well be pre-Greek." The custom of wearing it is based on a literal reading of scripture:
phyletic (adj.)
"racial, pertaining to a race or tribe or phylum," 1873, probably coined in German, from Greek phyletikos "of one's tribe," from phyletēs "fellow tribesman," from phylē "a tribe" (see phylo-). Related: Phyletically.
Phyllis
fem. proper name, in old pastoral poems and plays a generic proper name for a comely rustic maiden (1630s), from Latin Phyllis, a girl's name in Virgil, Horace, Theocritus, etc., from Greek Phyllis, female name, literally "foliage of a tree," from phyllon "a leaf" (from PIE *bholyo- "leaf," suffixed form of root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom").
In English, often spelled Phillis, probably from influence of phil- "loving." Her sweetheart often was Philander. The generic use was so common that for a time the name was a verb meaning "to celebrate in amatory verses."
phyllo-
before vowels phyll-, word-forming element meaning "leaf," from Greek phyllon "a leaf" (from PIE *bhol-yo- "leaf," suffixed form of root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom").
phyllo (n.)
also filo, "extremely thin sheet pastry used in Greek and Near Eastern cookery," by 1974, from Modern Greek phyllon "leaf," from PIE *bhol-yo- "leaf," suffixed form of root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom."
phyllophagous (adj.)
"leaf-eating, feeding on leaves," 1819, from phyllo- "leaf" + -phagous "eating."
phylo-
before vowels phyl-, modern word-forming element, mostly in the sciences, often meaning "phylum," from Greek phylon, phylē "a tribe," also a political subdivision in ancient Athens, from base of phyein "to bring forth, produce, make to grow," whence also physis "nature" (from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow").
phylogenesis (n.)
"evolution or birth of a species," 1870, coined in German by Haeckel, from phylo- + -genesis "birth, origin, creation." Related: Phylogenetic.
phylogeny (n.)
"the branch of biology which attempts to deduce the genesis and evolution of a phylum," 1869, from German Phylogenie, coined 1866 by German biologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel from Greek phylon "race" (from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow") + -geneia "origin" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget"). Related: Phylogenic.
phylum (n.)
"a primary division of the plant or animal kingdom, a genetically related tribe or race of organisms," 1868, Modern Latin, coined by French naturalist Georges Léopole Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert, Baron Cuvier (1769-1832) from Greek phylon "race, stock," related to phylē "tribe, clan" (see phylo-). The immediate source of the English word probably is from German.
physicality (n.)
1590s, "physical condition," from physical + -ity. By 1849 as "quality that pertains to sensations of the body." Physicalness is from 1727.
physical (n.)
short for physical examination, by 1934, from physical (adj.).
physical (adj.)
early 15c., phisical, "medicinal" (opposed to surgical), from Medieval Latin physicalis "of nature, natural," from Latin physica "study of nature" (see physic).
The meaning "pertaining to matter, of or pertaining to what is perceived by the senses" is from 1590s; the meaning "having to do with the body, corporeal, pertaining to the material part or structure of an organized being" (as opposed to mental or moral) is attested from 1780. The sense of "characterized by bodily attributes or activities, being or inclined to be bodily aggressive or violent" is attested from 1970. Physical education is recorded by 1838; the abbreviated form phys ed is by 1955. Physical therapy is from 1922. Related: Physically.
physics (n.)
1580s, "natural science, the science of the principles operative in organic nature," from physic in sense of "natural science." Also see -ics. Based on Latin physica (neuter plural), from Greek ta physika, literally "the natural things," title of Aristotle's treatise on nature. The current restricted sense of "science treating of properties of matter and energy" is from 1715.
physic (n.)
c. 1300, fysike, phisike, "a healing potion;" early 14c., "natural science;" mid-14c. "healthful regimen;" late 14c., "the art of healing, medical science or theory;" from Old French fisike "natural science, art of healing" (12c.) and directly from Latin physica (fem. singular of physicus) "study of nature," from Greek physikē (epistēmē) "(knowledge) of nature," from fem. of physikos "pertaining to nature," from physis "nature," from phyein "to bring forth, produce, make to grow" (related to phyton "growth, plant," phylē "tribe, race," phyma "a growth, tumor") from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow."
The English spelling with ph- is attested from late 14c. (see ph). The meaning "medicine that acts as a laxative" is from 1610s. The obsolete verb meaning "to dose with medicine, administer medical treatment to" is attested from late 14c. (phisiken).
physicalist (n.)
by 1858 as "one who maintains that human intellectual and moral nature depend on and results from one's physical constitution or organization," from physical (adj.) + -ist. By 1934 as "one who holds the theory that all science must be capable of being expressed in the language of physics." Related: Physicalism.
physician (n.)
c. 1200, fisicien, fisitien, later phisicien, "healer, one who practices the art of healing disease and of preserving health, doctor of medicine" (as distinguished from a surgeon), from Old French fisiciien "physician, doctor, sage" (12c., Modern French physicien means "physicist"), from fisique "art of healing," from Latin physica "natural science" (see physic). The restored classical ph- spelling is attested in English from late 14c. (see ph). Related: Physiciancy; physicianly; physicianship.
physicist (n.)
"a student of physics," 1836, from physics + -ist. Coined by the Rev. William Whewell, English polymath, to denote a "cultivator of physics" as opposed to a physician.
It was used earlier in the sense of "one versed in the medical sciences" (1716) but this was rare and by 19c. was obsolete.
physico-
word-forming element meaning "physical, physically; natural," from Latinized form of Greek physikos "natural, physical, pertaining to nature" (from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow"). Compare physic.
physicochemical (adj.)
also physico-chemical, "pertaining to or relating to both physics and chemistry," 1660s, from physico- + chemical (adj.).
physicological (adj.)
"pertaining to logic as illustrated by physics," 1704, from physicologic "logic illustrated by physics," from physico- + logic. Related: Physicologic; physicologically.
physio-
word-forming element meaning "nature, natural, physical," from Greek physios "nature" (from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow").
physiognomy (n.)
late 14c., phisonomie, "art of judging characters from facial features," from Old French fisonomie, phizonomie and directly from Medieval Latin physonomia, from Late Latin physiognomia, from Greek physiognōmia "the judging of a person's nature by his features," from physio- (see physio-) + gnōmōn (genitive gnōmōnos) "a judge, interpreter, indicator" (from PIE root *gno- "to know"). The meaning "face, countenance, the human face and its expressions" is from c. 1400. Related: Physiognomical.