Etymology

astrophysics

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Today it means: The branch of astronomy or physics that deals with the physical properties of celestial bodies and with the interaction between matter and radiation in celestial bodies and in the space between them. Full definition →

English physics ← Middle English phisik ← Latin physicus
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eHs-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂stḗr
  3. Proto-Hellenic*astḗr
  4. Ancient Greekἀστήρ (astḗr)
  5. Ancient Greekᾰ̓́στρον (ắstron)
  6. Englishastro-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuHyéti
  9. Ancient Greekφῠ́ω (phŭ́ō)
  10. Ancient Greekφύσις (phúsis)
  11. Ancient Greekφυσικός (phusikós)
  12. Latinphysicus
  13. Middle Englishphisik
  14. Englishphysic
  15. Englishphysics
  16. English todayastrophysics

From astro- + physics.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.