physics
/ˈfɪzɪks
/plural noun [treated as singular]
1The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms.One of the most contentious subjects in modern physics has been quantum mechanics....
- The subjects being offered include biology, computing, physics, chemistry and mathematics.
- He began by stating that patterns of energy are nature's basic information system and that physics is about energy and matter.
1.1The physical properties and phenomena of something: the physics of plasmas...
- String theory is supposed to contain the physics of the quantum behavior of gravity.
- It generates naturally within the model, tropical cyclones, as a result of the physics and the dynamics included in the model.
- At present this picture forms the focus of interest in the physics of elementary particles.
Origin
Late 15th century (denoting natural science in general, especially the Aristotelian system): plural of obsolete physic 'physical (thing'), suggested by Latin physica, Greek phusika 'natural things' from phusis 'nature'.