Philosophical

How to spell philosophical

13 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce philosophical

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does philosophical mean?

1. adjectiveRelating to the study of fundamental questions about knowledge, existence, and reason.
2. adjectiveCalm and rational in the face of difficulty, setback, or disappointment.

Philosophical in a sentence

• The lecture raised several philosophical questions about free will.

• He stayed philosophical about losing the contract and moved on quickly.

• Her essay took a philosophical approach to the nature of justice.

• She was remarkably philosophical when the flight was cancelled.

Where does philosophical come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word traces back to the Greek philosophos, literally 'a lover of wisdom', built from philein 'to love' and sophia 'wisdom'. The Greeks formed the related adjective philosophikos to describe anything pertaining to that pursuit of knowledge. Latin adopted the form as philosophicus, and it passed into English through Old French in the late medieval period, settling into its modern shape around the fifteenth century. Over time the word gained a second, softer everyday sense: a 'philosophical' person is one who meets misfortune with calm, reasoned acceptance, much as a Stoic thinker might. The buried 'soph' root also survives in 'sophisticated' and 'sophomore', and remembering that the middle of the word is built on 'philosopher' helps anchor the tricky 'oso' run of unstressed vowels.

How the word is built

• phil- (loving)
• soph (wisdom)
• -ical (adjective suffix)