hylic

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromὑλικός“wooden, material”
2. Medieval Latin · borrowed fromhylicus
3. English todayhylic

From Medieval Latin hylicus, from Ancient Greek ὑλικός (hulikós, “wooden, material”), from ῡ̔́λη (hū́lē, “wood, matter”) + -ικός (-ikós, “-ic, forming adjectives”). As a noun, a clipped calque of homo hylicus (“hylic man”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 1820s Synonym of physical, material, or base.