hypothesis
Americannoun
plural
hypotheses-
a proposition, or set of propositions, set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena, either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide investigation working hypothesis or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts.
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a proposition assumed as a premise in an argument.
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the antecedent of a conditional proposition.
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a mere assumption or guess.
noun
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a suggested explanation for a group of facts or phenomena, either accepted as a basis for further verification ( working hypothesis ) or accepted as likely to be true Compare theory
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an assumption used in an argument without its being endorsed; a supposition
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an unproved theory; a conjecture
plural
hypothesesUsage
What is a hypothesis? In science, a hypothesis is a statement or proposition that attempts to explain phenomena or facts. Hypotheses are often tested to see if they are accurate.Crafting a useful hypothesis is one of the early steps in the scientific method, which is central to every field of scientific experimentation. A useful scientific hypothesis is based on current, accepted scientific knowledge and is testable.Outside of science, the word hypothesis is often used more loosely to mean a guess or prediction.
Related Words
See theory.
Other Word Forms
- counterhypothesis noun
- hypothesist noun
- subhypothesis noun
Etymology
Origin of hypothesis
First recorded in 1590–1600, hypothesis is from the Greek word hypóthesis “basis, supposition”; hypo-, thesis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Duesberg’s embrace of a dangerously wrong hypothesis to the point that it destroyed his career is almost a Shakespearean narrative.
From Los Angeles Times
“For instance, there’s never been clear evidence that ghosts exist. So my prediction—and our hypothesis—is that the Spirit of the Sea isn’t real.”
From Literature
To investigate their hypothesis, Salomon and his colleagues relied on decades of experience studying lipid oxidation, along with chemical insight, to predict that pseudo leukotrienes existed.
From Science Daily
"These notches in the wheels and the deformation observed in the track are compatible with the fact that the track was cracked," it wrote in what it called a "working hypothesis".
From Barron's
"Discoveries like this really trigger interesting questions in terms of reviewing, revising, and then coming up with new hypotheses as to what the key differences were between the main hominin groups."
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
