empiric

[ em-pir-ik ]

noun

1. a person who follows an empirical method.
2. a quack; charlatan.

adjective

1. empirical.

empiric

/ ɛmˈpɪrɪk /

noun

1. a person who relies on empirical methods
2. a medical quack; charlatan

adjective

1. See empirical
   a variant of empirical

Other Words From

• anti·em·piric noun adjective
• nonem·piric noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of empiric¹

1520–30; < Latin empīricus < Greek empeirikós experienced, equivalent to em- em- ² + peir- (stem of peirân to attempt) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of empiric¹

C16: from Latin empīricus, from Greek empeirikos practised, from peiran to attempt

Example Sentences

The count considered Lincoln an “honest man of nature, perhaps an empiric, doctoring with innocent juices from herbs.”

From The Daily Beast

Clemens never had any quarrel with the theory of Christian Science or mental healing, or with any of the empiric practices.

From Project Gutenberg

The theorist disdains experience—the empiric rejects principle.

From Project Gutenberg

The great intellectual forces of the nineteenth century allied themselves to two movements, the transcendental and the empiric.

From Project Gutenberg

The surplus labour of the latter is an empiric fact, demonstrable by experience, which needs no deductive proof.

From Project Gutenberg

To them both the physician and empiric owe part of their success.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• con artist
• hypocrite