metaphysics

M3E1T1A1P3H4Y4S1I1C3S1
/mɛtəˈfɪzɪks/

noun

The branch of philosophy which studies fundamental principles intended to describe or explain all that is, and which are not themselves explained by anything more fundamental; the study of first principles; the study of being insofar as it is being (Latin: ens in quantum ens).

“In Aristotelian metaphysics physical objects have both form and matter.”

OriginMiddle English methaphesik ← Old French metafisique ← Medieval Latin metaphysica →
Less commonScrabble 23
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Meanings

nounmetaphysics (countable and uncountable, plural metaphysics)
  1. uncountablehuman sciencesThe branch of philosophy which studies fundamental principles intended to describe or explain all that is, and which are not themselves explained by anything more fundamental; the study of first principles; the study of being insofar as it is being (Latin: ens in quantum ens).

    Philosophers sometimes say that metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of the universe.

    1 more example

    The late philosopher Morris R. Cohen of CCNY was asked by a student in the metaphysics course, "Professor Cohen how do I know that I exist?" The keen old prof replied, "And who is asking?"

    1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 157
  2. countablehuman sciencesThe view or theory of a particular philosopher or school of thinkers concerning the first principles which describe or explain all that is.

    In Aristotelian metaphysics physical objects have both form and matter.

    2 more examples

    The metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas holds that all real beings have both essence and existence.

    In his Pensées, Pascal mentioned some first principles recognized within his metaphysics: space, time, motion, and number.

  3. broadlyuncountablehuman sciencesThe metalogic of physics; the logical framework of physics.

    Even other universes should be a result of different physics. Without rules, these universes wouldn't exist, because they will have an undefined, thus impossible, nature. We will never understand or guess all possible forms of physics. That's why we have to understand the generic metaphysics.

  4. broadlyuncountableAny fundamental principles or rules.

    The metaphysics of global power has changed. Markets are now more valuable than territory.

    1990 January 1, Lance Morrow, “Gorbachev: The Unlikely Patron of Change”, in Time
  5. uncountableThe study of a supersensual realm or of phenomena which transcend the physical world.

    I have a collection of books on metaphysics, covering astral projection, reincarnation, and communication with spirits.

  6. derogatoryuncountableDispleasingly abstruse, complex material on any subject.

    This political polemic strikes me as a protracted piece of overwrought, fog-shrouded metaphysics!

noun
  1. pluralplural of metaphysic

Origin

  1. Medieval Greekμεταφυσικά
  2. Medieval Latinmetaphysica
  3. Old Frenchmetafisique
  4. Middle Englishmethaphesik
  5. Englishmetaphysics

1560s; plural of metaphysic, from Middle English methaphesik, methaphisik, methaphisique, metaphesyk, methafisik, metaphesyk, methephysyk, from Old French metafisique, methaphisique and Medieval Latin metaphysica, methephisica, from Medieval Greek μεταφυσικά (metaphusiká), from the title of the collection by Aristotle μετὰ τὰ φυσικά (metà tà phusiká, “Following The Natural World”), a collection that comes after (μετά (metá)) Aristotle's collection entitled τὰ φυσικά (tà phusiká, “The Natural World”), from φυσικός (phusikós, “natural”). By surface analysis, meta- + physics.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin

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Translations

Arabic مِيتَافِيزِيقَا, مَا وَرَاءَ الطَّبِيعِيَّات
  • مِيتَافِيزِيقَا (mītāfīzīqā)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
  • مَا وَرَاءَ الطَّبِيعِيَّات (mā warāʔa ṭ-ṭabīʕiyyāt)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Bulgarian метафи́зика
  • метафи́зика (metafízika)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Catalan metafísica
  • metafísicabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Chinese Mandarin 形而上學 /形而上学, 形上
  • 形而上學 /形而上学 (xíng'érshàngxué)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
  • 形上 (xíngshàng)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Czech metafyzika
  • metafyzikabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Danish metafysik
  • metafysikbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Dutch metafysica
  • metafysicabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Esperanto metafiziko
  • metafizikobranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Finnish metafysiikka
  • metafysiikkabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
German Metaphysik
  • Metaphysikbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Greek μεταφυσική
  • μεταφυσική (metafysikí)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Hindi तत्त्वमीमांसा, आत्मविद्या
  • तत्त्वमीमांसा (tattvamīmānsā)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
  • आत्मविद्या (ātmavidyā)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Hungarian metafizika
  • metafizikabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Icelandic frumspeki
  • frumspekibranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Indonesian metafisika
  • metafisikabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Irish meitifisic
  • meitifisicbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Japanese 形而上学
  • 形而上学 (keijijōgaku)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Korean 형이상학
  • 형이상학 (hyeong'isanghak)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Latin metaphysica
  • metaphysicabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Latvian metafizika
  • metafizikabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Norwegian Bokmål metafysikk
  • metafysikkbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Polish metafizyka
  • metafizykabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Portuguese metafísica
  • metafísicabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Russian метафи́зика
  • метафи́зика (metafízika)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Slovak metafyzika
  • metafyzikabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Spanish metafísica
  • metafísicabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Swahili metafizikia
  • metafizikiabranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Swedish metafysik
  • metafysikbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Tagalog labawsugnayan
  • labawsugnayanbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Thai อภิปรัชญา
  • อภิปรัชญาbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Turkish metafizik, mabaduttabiyye
  • metafizikbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
  • mabaduttabiyyebranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Ukrainian метафі́зика
  • метафі́зика (metafízyka)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Vietnamese siêu hình học
  • siêu hình họcbranch of philosophy that studies first principles
Yiddish מעטאַפֿיזיק
  • מעטאַפֿיזיק (metafizik)branch of philosophy that studies first principles
Cite this entry
APA

metaphysics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metaphysics

MLA

“metaphysics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metaphysics. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metaphysics,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metaphysics.

Source: metaphysics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.