physic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Archaic/Literary/Technical (Historical)
Quick answer
What does “physic” mean?
A medicine or drug, especially a laxative or purgative.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medicine or drug, especially a laxative or purgative.
The art or practice of healing; medicine in general; the medical profession (archaic).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences in its extremely rare usage. Both varieties treat it as an archaism.
Connotations
Connotes antiquity, old-fashioned medical practices (e.g., leeches, herbal concoctions), and often a certain quaintness or historical flavour.
Frequency
Vanishingly rare in both, with no discernible difference in frequency.
Grammar
How to Use “physic” in a Sentence
to take a dose of PHYSICto administer PHYSIC to someonePHYSIC for a conditionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “physic” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old surgeon would physic his patients with a strong purge.
- She physicked herself with herbal remedies from the garden.
American English
- The pioneer doctor physicked the settlers with calomel.
- They physicked the horse to cure its colic.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (not standard as adjective)
American English
- N/A (not standard as adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or literary studies when discussing archaic texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Potentially used in historical pharmacology or the study of early medicine.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “physic”
- Using 'physic' in a modern context (e.g., 'I need a physic for my headache').
- Confusing it with the adjective 'physical' or the noun 'physics'.
- Pronouncing it like 'physics' without the final /s/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are completely different words. 'Physic' (archaic) relates to medicine and healing. 'Physics' is the modern scientific study of matter, energy, and forces.
It is not recommended for everyday communication. Using it will make you sound like you're quoting Shakespeare or a history book. Use 'medicine', 'remedy', or a specific term like 'laxative' instead.
It is a historical term for a garden dedicated to growing plants with medicinal properties, used by physicians and apothecaries. The Chelsea Physic Garden in London is a famous example.
It is primarily a noun (a medicine). It can also be used as a verb (to treat with medicine), though this is even more archaic than the noun form.
A medicine or drug, especially a laxative or purgative.
Physic is usually archaic/literary/technical (historical) in register.
Physic: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɪzɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɪzɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a bitter pill/physic to swallow (rare variant)”
- “to take one's physic (archaic idiom meaning to accept an unpleasant necessity)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PHYSIC' as the 'physical' stuff (medicine) that a 'physician' from the 1800s would give you.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEDICINE IS A FORCED CORRECTION (as in a harsh physic purging the body of ill humours).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'physic' be most appropriately used today?