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"physics" in seven languages

Meaningphysics

Spanish

física

/ˈfisika/

fem.learned

French

physique

/fizik/

fem.learned

Le physique (masculine) is someone's physique, their build.

Italian

fisica

/ˈfizika/

fem.learned

Portuguese

física

/ˈfizikɐ/

fem.learned

Romanian

fizică

/ˈfizikə/

fem.learned

Catalan

física

/ˈfizikə/

fem.learned

English

physics

/ˈfɪzɪks/

from Latin/French · Latin PHYSICA, from Greek

English → ItalianphysicsfisicaCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

PHYSICAM‘natural science (Greek physikḗ, from phýsis 'nature')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish and Italian respell Greek ph as f; French and English keep ph. The sisters' word is a singular feminine noun, unlike English plural-looking physics.

English relatives: physical, physician, physique

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In a sentence

  • esEnseña física en la universidad.
  • frElle enseigne la physique à l'université.
  • itInsegna fisica all'università.
  • ptEla ensina física na universidade.
  • roPredă fizică la universitate.
  • caEnsenya física a la universitat.
  • enShe teaches physics at the university.

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