Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nonphysical” come from?

Nonphysical derives from English physical, which combines Latin nona and the Latin adjective suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European novem meaning nine.

nonphysical (English): not physical; not using kinetic energy; not...

Definitions

  1. not physical; not using kinetic energy; not...

Ancestry of “nonphysical”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishphysical"Of medicine."; "Of matter or nature."; "Of the...
2Latinphysicalisphysics, natural science
3Latinphysicanatural sciences; natural philosophy; physics;...
4Ancient Greekφυσικόςnatural, produced or caused by nature, inborn,...
5Ancient Greekφύσιςorigin, birth; nature, quality, property; later,...
6Ancient GreekφύωTo bring forth, produce, generate, cause to grow;...
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuHyétito be becoming, to be growing, to be appearing
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
10Chichewaiyehe, she
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