Word.ws English Dictionary

metaphysic

metaphysic adjective: metaphysical.

Adjective

metaphysic (not comparable)

  1. (archaic) Metaphysical.
    • Bring sweet philosophy along,
      In metaphysic dreams.c. 1720, Jonathan Swift, "Ode on Science," lines 32-33

Noun

metaphysic (countable and uncountable, plural metaphysics)

  1. (archaic, uncountable) The field of study of metaphysics.
    • With reference to general Philosophy or Metaphysic proper, psychology may be viewed as a kind of common ground whereon thinkers of widely different schools may meet.1876, Editor, "Prefatory Words," Mind, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 5
  2. (countable) The metaphysical system of a particular philosopher or of a particular school of thought.
    • The uncertain conclusions of an ill-conducted analogy, and a false metaphysic, were mixed with a few simple precepts derived from observation, which probably made the whole of the science of prognostication in its earliest and purest state.1775, Samuel Horsley, “An Abridged State of the Weather at London in the Year 1774,”, in Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), volume 65, page 182
    • It should be pointed out to the prospective reader that he will not find here the systematic presentation of a metaphysic.1954, Frederick C. Copleston, “Review of Metaphysical Journal by Gabriel Marcel”, in Philosophy, volume 29, number 109, page 170
  3. (countable) A fundamental principle or key concept.
    • What we need as a metaphysic and what the logical realists are at least glimpsing, is the principle of contradiction.1927, Charles M. Perry, “A Principle for Realism”, in The Journal of Philosophy, volume 24, number 20, page 537

Forms of metaphysic

Adjective
alternative formmetaphysick
Noun
pluralmetaphysics

Origin of metaphysic

From Latin metaphysicus.

From Middle English methaphesik, methaphisik, methaphisique, metaphesyk, methafisik, metaphesyk, methephysyk, from Old French metafisique, methaphisique and Medieval Latin metaphysica, methephisica; equivalent to meta- + physic.

Words formed from metaphysic

Questions about metaphysic

What does metaphysic mean?
Metaphysic means metaphysical.
What part of speech is metaphysic?
Metaphysic can be an adjective or a noun.

Words near metaphysic in the dictionary

  1. metaphylatic
  2. metaphylaxis
  3. metaphyseal
  4. metaphyses
  5. metaphysial
  6. metaphysic
  7. metaphysical
  8. metaphysical naturalism
  9. metaphysicalities
  10. metaphysicality
  11. metaphysically

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: metaphysic (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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