met·a·phys·i·cal

[met-uh-fiz-i-kuhl]
adjective
1.
pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics.
2.
Philosophy.
a.
concerned with abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth.
b.
concerned with first principles and ultimate grounds, as being, time, or substance.
3.
highly abstract, subtle, or abstruse.
4.
designating or pertaining to the poetry of an early group of 17th-century English poets, notably John Donne, whose characteristic style is highly intellectual and philosophical and features intensive use of ingenious conceits and turns of wit.
5.
Archaic. imaginary or fanciful.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English metaphisicalle < Medieval Latin metaphysicālis. See metaphysic, -al1

met·a·phys·i·cal·ly, adverb
an·ti·met·a·phys·i·cal, adjective
an·ti·met·a·phys·i·cal·ly, adverb
hy·per·met·a·phys·i·cal, adjective
non·met·a·phys·i·cal, adjective
non·met·a·phys·i·cal·ly, adverb
qua·si-met·a·phys·i·cal, adjective
qua·si-met·a·phys·i·cal·ly, adverb
un·met·a·phys·i·cal, adjective
un·met·a·phys·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To metaphysical
00:10
Metaphysical is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
Collins
World English Dictionary
metaphysical (ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  relating to or concerned with metaphysics
2.  (of a statement or theory) having the form of an empirical hypothesis, but in fact immune from empirical testing and therefore (in the view of the logical positivists) literally meaningless
3.  (popularly) abstract, abstruse, or unduly theoretical
4.  incorporeal; supernatural
 
meta'physically
 
adv

Metaphysical (ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  denoting or relating to certain 17th-century poets who combined intense feeling with ingenious thought and often used elaborate imagery and conceits. Notable among them were Donne, Herbert, and Marvell
 
n
2.  a poet of this group

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

metaphysical
mid-15c., "pertaining to metaphysics," from metaphysic (late 14c.), from M.L. metaphysica (see metaphysics).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Historically, questions that people used to think were purely metaphysical were
  in fact physical as well.
Being right in some metaphysical moral sense will not make the government any
  smaller unless you can also deliver the votes.
But some posters were getting into metaphysical descriptions of the cosmos
  based on this problem.
Hence, diseases are a metaphysical focus for vaccine treatment.
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