UBU ROI

pataphysics

SYLLABICATION: pa·ta·phys·ics PRONUNCIATION: pät-fzksNOUN: AUDIO:

(used with a sing. verb) The French absurdist concept of a philosophy or science dedicated to studying what lies beyond the realm of metaphysics, intended as a parody of the methods and theories of modern science and often expressed in nonsensical language.

ETYMOLOGY: French pataphysique, alteration of Greek ta epi ta metaphusika, the (works) after the metaphysics (pseudo-title of a work by Aristotle modeled on ta meta ta phusika, the (works) after the Physics, Aristotle's Metaphysics) : epi, after; see+ metaphusika, metaphysics; see metaphysics.

OTHER FORMS: pata·physi·cal (--kl) —ADJECTIVE