【Material】 ,  【physical】 ,  【corporeal】 ,  【phenomenal】 ,  【sensible】 ,  【objective】  are comparable when they mean belonging to or having a relation to things that belong to the world of actuality or of things apparent to the senses.

【Material】  applies to whatever is formed of matter or relates to things formed of matter; it often implies an opposition to spiritual, but it may imply an antithesis to ideal, formal, intangible, or impalpable.

【Physical】  (see also BODILY ) differs from  【material】  chiefly in suggesting an opposition to psychical, mental, metaphysical, imaginary, and, less often, spiritual; it applies especially to things perceived by the senses or capable of being dealt with in the same manner as objects of sense, and it usually implies a contrast to things knowable only through thought or intuition or built up by the mind or imagination; thus, the  【material】  objects and the  【physical】  objects within one′s reach may be exactly the same objects, but  【material】  suggests their substantial nature and  【physical】  suggests their susceptibility of perception and identification, or, what is more important in science, of being weighed and measured. In scientific use  【physical】 is also applicable to things that are not objects, but forces, actions, motions, or states which are operative in nature or in mechanics and which can be measured or calculated, or put to use, even though, strictly speaking, they cannot be handled.

【Corporeal】  (see also BODILY ) applies to what not only has 【physical】 existence but also is tangible or can be described as a body; thus, energy in itself has no  【corporeal】  existence though it is a  【physical】  power found usually in  【corporeal】 things.

【Phenomenal】 implies a relation to what is known or knowable through the senses and experience, as distinguished from what is knowable only through thought or intuition because beyond perception by the senses; the term is chiefly used in philosophy and science when there is an intent to mark the line between what is actually perceived and what has been ascertained by the reason, has been accepted by faith, or is theoretical or hypothetical.

【Sensible】  which basically applies to what is known or knowable through sense experience and thereby comprehends the specific terms visible, audible, tangible, palpable is sometimes opposed to intelligible, conceptual, or notional.

【Objective】  (see also FAIR ) implies the same kind of existence as  【phenomenal】  and  【sensible】 , but it stresses the apartness of the thing known through the senses from the person who perceives it through his senses; the term, therefore, implies not only 【material】 existence but an existence which is or is felt as uncolored by the prejudices and preconceptions of the perceiver.