What does physic mean?
Physic is an old-fashioned word for a medicine or medicinal remedy, often one associated with purging the body. By extension, it can refer to medical treatment itself, and as a verb it means to administer medicine or treat someone medicinally. The word once had the broader sense of the study of nature, the ancestor of natural science as a modern discipline. It is therefore related not only to physicians but also to words such as physics, physical, and physiology. Today, physic survives chiefly in literary, historical, and deliberately archaic contexts, although specialized expressions such as physic garden remain recognizable. A physician might once have prescribed a bitter physic, while a traveller might be physicked with a restorative cordial. Although uncommon in everyday speech, the word is useful because it preserves older meanings and reveals the close historical connection between medicine and the study of nature.
A medicine, drug, or medicinal remedy, especially a purgative; also, by extension, medical treatment.
"The physician prescribed a cooling physic for the fever."
Chiefly archaic or literary today. The plural is usually physics, although physicks is also attested.
To give medicine to, treat with medicine, or practise medicine.
"The physician physicked the patient with a strong infusion."
Rare and generally literary; physicked and physicking are the usual inflected forms.
Archaic: medicinal or relating to medicine or medical treatment.
"The physician praised the root for its physic powers."
Very rare outside historical and literary usage.
Most modern dictionaries give physics, though physicks is also attested.
"The apothecary prepared several bitter physics for the patient."
Physic once meant the study of nature itself; from that root grew physician, physics, and physical.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does physic come from?
Physic entered Middle English through Old French physique and Latin physica, a medieval Latin use of Greek physikē, from physikos, meaning “of or relating to nature.” In earlier English, physic encompassed natural science as well as medicine before its dominant meaning narrowed to remedies and medical treatment. Physician, physics, physical, and physiology developed through related Latin and Greek forms based on the same Greek root.
Related word forms
How physic is actually used
Physic is now uncommon in ordinary modern English and generally has an archaic, literary, or deliberately period flavour. Its historical sense for natural science is obsolete. The verb is especially rare and may sound theatrical outside historical writing.
Easily confused with physic
Physic denotes a medicine, remedy, or medical treatment, whereas physical generally relates to the body, material reality, or bodily activity.