Ancient Greek word root · Life & Nature

phys-: nature, growth

phys- is an Ancient Greek root meaning “nature, growth”. Learn its variants and explore 5 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: nature, growth

Root forms: phys-, physio-

Source word: φύσις — origin, birth

Word family and examples

• physics

  the science of matter, energy, and their interactions

• physiology

  the branch of biology dealing with the functions of living organisms

• physiological

  Of, or relating to physiology.

• physiotherapist

  A therapist who treats physical injury or dysfunction, usually with exercise.

• physiologic

  Of or pertaining to physiology.

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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