empirical

American  

[em-pir-i-kuhl] / ɛmˈpɪr ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. 

   derived from or guided by direct experience or by experiment, rather than abstract principles or theory.

   Empirical evidence of changes in kelp consumption was gathered by measuring the bite marks in seaweed fronds.

   Synonyms:

   pragmatic, firsthand, practical

   Antonyms:

   theoretical, secondhand

2. depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory, and hence sometimes insufficiently authoritative, especially as in medicine.

   That is nothing but an empirical conclusion with no regard for the laws of thermodynamics.

   Synonyms:

   pragmatic, firsthand, practical

   Antonyms:

   theoretical, secondhand

3. provable or verifiable by experience or experiment, as scientific laws.

   Theoretical physics is criticized for producing complex concepts that are mathematical, not empirical.

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empirical British  

/ ɛmˈpɪrɪkəl /

adjective

1. derived from or relating to experiment and observation rather than theory

2. (of medical treatment) based on practical experience rather than scientific proof

3. philosophy

   1. (of knowledge) derived from experience rather than by logic from first principles Compare a priori a posteriori

   2. (of a proposition) subject, at least theoretically, to verification Compare analytic synthetic

4. of or relating to medical quackery

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noun

1. statistics the posterior probability of an event derived on the basis of its observed frequency in a sample Compare mathematical probability See also posterior probability

empirical Scientific  

/ ĕm-pîr′ĭ-kəl /

1. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment.

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Other Word Forms

• empiricalness
  noun
• antiempirical
  adjective
• nonempirical
  adjective
• overempirical
  adjective
• semiempirical
  adjective
• unempirical
  adjective
• empirically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of empirical

First recorded in 1560–70; empiric + -al ¹

Compare meaning

How does empirical compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• empirical vs. theoretical
• empirical vs. molecular formula
• empirical vs. molecular

Explanation

If knowledge is empirical, it's based on observation rather than theory. To do an empirical study of donut shops, you'll need to visit every one you can find. Empirical looks like empire but comes from a completely different origin: it is from the Greek empeirikos, meaning "experienced." It was originally used in medicine for doctors making choices based on observation and experiment rather than theoretical ideas. It's now used for any kind of knowledge that comes from experience. You can meditate all day on the origins of donuts, but until you visit the donut bakery you'll lack empirical knowledge of donut creation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

empirical

Anyone looking for empirical data to help gauge what’s at stake in this transaction would be well-advised to start there.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

"We're essentially using state-of-the-art technologies and genetic analytical techniques to get new, empirical information regarding historical cultural and agricultural practices," says Stinson.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

Fear that Social Security benefits might be reduced is not, by itself, an empirical reason to claim benefits early, although it is certainly a valid theory.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

MIT leaders never shied from that challenge, in keeping with the spirit of an institution that prizes practical problem-solving and empirical results.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

I find no literature or empirical data directed to a middle schooler.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Related Words

• experimental
• factual
• observational