physis

[fahy-sis]

noun

plural

physes 

1. the principle of growth or change in nature.

2. nature as the source of growth or change.

3. something that grows, becomes, or develops.

Word History and Origins

Origin of physis¹

< Greek phýsis origin, natural form of a thing; akin to phŷlon race ( phylon )

Example Sentences

But rather than seeing this as a deterrent, it could instead be an excellent time to seize the opportunity, says Mitesh Shah, partner at Physis Capital, an angel fund.

From BBC

A key part of philosophy, as that discipline was inherited from Aristotle and taught in the universities, was the study of nature—‘nature’ coming from the Latin word natura, for which the Greek equivalent is physis.

From Literature

Beneath the entangling personal motives, the debate is one of the oldest in the Western philosophical tradition, between nomos and physis.

From Literature

Physis says, Let Nature be our guide; step out of the way of the environment, and it will know how to keep itself healthy.

From Literature

In environmental terms, Thoreau, who saw the landscape as imbued with an essential wildness that could be heedlessly destroyed, embodies physis.

From Literature