pseudoscience

American  

[soo-doh-sahy-uhns] / ˌsu doʊˈsaɪ əns /

noun

1. any of various methods, theories, or systems, as astrology, psychokinesis, or clairvoyance, considered as having no scientific basis.

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pseudoscience British  

/ ˌsjuːdəʊˈsaɪəns /

noun

1. a discipline or approach that pretends to be or has a close resemblance to science

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pseudoscience Cultural  

1. A system of theories or assertions about the natural world that claim or appear to be scientific but that, in fact, are not. For example, astronomy is a science, but astrology is generally viewed as a pseudoscience.

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Other Word Forms

• pseudoscientist
  noun
• pseudoscientific
  adjective
• pseudoscientifically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of pseudoscience

First recorded in 1835–45; pseudo- + science

Example Sentences

Pseudoscience debunkers have had to work overtime to keep track of all the conspiracy theories and push back where they can.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2023

Pseudoscience creators have built on the inherent velocity of social media platforms with tactics of their own.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2022

Pseudoscience in lie detection is simply too dangerous and costly to tolerate.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2022

Pseudoscience is a collection of ideas that may appear scientific but does not use the scientific method.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017

For an effective critique, see Laudan, ‘The Pseudoscience of Science?’

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton