phenomenon(fe NAHM in ahn) n. 1. any event, occurrence, or happening that
can be determined by the senses and scientifically explained; 2. any of the forego-
ing, explainable or otherwise
- The phenomenonof a total eclipse of the sun is readily explainable with a
little knowledge of astronomy. - It is not so easy to dismiss all the reports of the phenomenonof alien abduc-
tion by people in many different parts of the world.
[phenomena pl.]
philanthropic(fil in THRAH pik) adj. charitable; giving; benign; humanitari-
an; having a desire to help mankind - Many of the great robber barrons of the late nineteenth and early twenti-
eth centuries are known today for the philanthropicworks of the founda-
tions named for them. - Two such philanthropicorganizations are the Carnegie and the Rockefeller
foundations.
philosophy(fil AHS uh fee) n. 1. theoretical or logical analysis of the principles
underlying thought, knowledge, conduct, and the nature of the universe—made up
of ethics, logic, esthetics, epistimology, metaphysics, etc.; 2. the general or specific
principles governing human character and morals - Many different aspects of philosophyconcerned the deep thinkers of the
seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. - The philosophyof medical ethicists is ever more taxed in the twenty-first
century. - Because logic is a branch of philosophy,it should be no surprise that French
philosopher René Descartes gave us the Cartesian coordinates system of
naming points by coordinates.
[philosophic adj., philosophically adv.]
phlegmatic (flig MA tik) adj. difficult to rouse to action because of sluggish-
ness, dullness, apathy, coolness, calmness, or stolidity - The United States was very phlegmaticin its response to both European
wars of the last century. - The United States was far from phlegmaticin getting involved with Iraq in
- [-ally adv.] [Syn. impassive]
physicist(FIZ is ist) n. a scientist dealing with the interaction of matter and
energy (physics) whose parts are mechanics, optics, heat, light, and most recently
quantum physics
•A physicistdeals with lenses and the laws of refraction and reflection.- Newton’s laws of motion are the province of the physicist.
•A physicistdoes not exactly deal with rocket science—er, wait a second;
that’s exactly what a physicist might deal with.
P – Q: SAT Words 181