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Physical vs Sexual - What's the difference?

physical | sexual |

As adjectives the difference between physical and sexual

is that physical is having to do with the body while sexual is of or relating to having sex, sexual acts and sexual reproduction.

As nouns the difference between physical and sexual

is that physical is physical examination while sexual is (biology) a species which reproduces by sexual rather than asexual reproduction, or a member of such a species.

physical

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having to do with the body.
  • Having to do with the material world.
  • * John Stuart Mill
  • Labour, in the physical world, is employed in putting objects in motion.
  • * Macaulay
  • A society sunk in ignorance, and ruled by mere physical force.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=No hiding place
  • , date=2013-05-25, volume=407, issue=8837, page=74, magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result.}}
  • Involving bodily force.
  • Having to do with physics.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01, author=Michael Riordan, title=Tackling Infinity
  • , volume=100, issue=1, page=86, magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=Some of the most beautiful and thus appealing physical theories, including quantum electrodynamics and quantum gravity, have been dogged for decades by infinities that erupt when theorists try to prod their calculations into new domains. Getting rid of these nagging infinities has probably occupied far more effort than was spent in originating the theories.}}
  • (label)
  • (obsolete) Relating to physic, or medicine; medicinal; curative; also, cathartic; purgative.
  • * Sir T. North
  • Physical herbs.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Is Brutus sick? and is it physical / To walk unbraced, and suck up the humours / Of the dank morning?

    Antonyms

    * mental, psychological; having to do with the mind viewed as distinct from body.

    Derived terms

    * antiphysical * physical body * physical chemistry * physical education * physical examination * physical relations * physical therapy * physical world

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Physical examination.
  • How long has it been since your last physical ?

    Synonyms

    * checkup, check-up

    Statistics

    *

    sexual

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or relating to having sex, sexual acts and sexual reproduction.
  • Of or relating to gender.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author= Mark Tran
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=1, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Denied an education by war , passage=One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks on schools
  • Of or relating to sexuality; not asexual.
  • * 1994 , Purity & passion (ISBN 0802471307), page 67:
  • We don't often think of Jesus as a sexual' person, but He certainly was not asexual. He was not just God on earth. He was fully human and He was ' sexual , single, and celibate.
  • Of or relating to sexual orientations, sexual identity or preferences with respect to sexual intercourse
  • Derived terms

    * nonsexual * sexuality * sexualism * sexually * sexual politics * subsexual

    See also

    *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (biology) A species which reproduces by sexual rather than asexual reproduction, or a member of such a species.
  • (LGBT) A person who experiences attraction, a person who has interest in or desire for sex (especially as contrasted with an asexual).
  • Antonyms

    * (biology) asexual * (person) asexual